PHOENIX – Three people were killed and two others were injured in a gunfight that broke out during a home invasion Tuesday night in south Phoenix, authorities said.
Officers responded to a shooting call near 24th Street and Southern Avenue around 9:10 p.m. and found five men with gunshot wounds at three different scenes, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
Three of the victims died, and two were taken to a hospital with injuries that aren’t considered life-threatening.
South Phoenix shooting victims found at 3 different scenes
The first shooting victim was found at the scene of a crash near 23rd Street and Southern Avenue, Sgt. Lorraine Fernandez said during a press conference on Wednesday.
A Phoenix police lieutenant who was responding to the shooting saw the crash, did a welfare check and found the victim in the car.
Around the same time, a 911 call was made from a nearby Burger King about a man outside the restaurant suffering from a gunshot wound.
According to a Wednesday evening press release, one of the men told officers that he had been shot at a residence near 23rd Street and Lynne Lane.
Both men were taken to the hospital by the Phoenix Fire Department.
Officers then went to the home and found two men dead inside and another man dead in the alley behind the home.
What led up to the deadly shootout in south Phoenix?
According to Phoenix police, preliminary information indicates that two men broke into the residence and at least one of them was armed.
A man inside, who was also armed, began shooting at the suspects, striking one of them.
That man then ran into another room to hide, but left the room after he heard his cousin screaming for help, police said.
The man then got into a gunfight with the second burglary suspect, ultimately shooting and killing the suspect.
By the time the gunfire ended, the two intruders and three people had been shot, including the man who returned fire.
However, police said they are still trying to determine how the man in the alley was connected to the incident.
Another victim ran from the home after being shot, flagged down a car he recognized and asked the driver to take him to the hospital.
The car crashed when the driver was trying to put the hospital address into the GPS. The driver was not injured.
It wasn’t immediately clear how the other victim got to the Burger King.
Police added that there is no further threat to the community and that officers would be at the home into Wednesday afternoon as they executed a search warrant.
The department is still trying to piece together what happened and was working to gather surveillance video from the area of the shooting.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO (837-8446) for Spanish speakers.
We want to hear from you.
Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.
