An Arizona woman was giving her daughter a bath when she says she received text messages from her ex-boyfriend. Moments later, shots rang out.
PHOENIX — An Arizona man broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home, shooting her current boyfriend before turning the gun on himself, according to court documents. While both men survived, the woman’s current boyfriend is in the hospital, fighting for his life.
Now, she’s speaking out about what happened.
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Tatum Sucato Fuller told 12News in a statement that on Nov. 7, her “whole life changed.”
Phoenix police officers responded to a shooting incident late in the morning on that Friday. They found a 28-year-old man with serious, life-threatening injuries consistent with a gunshot wound.
Sucato Fuller told 12News that she had been giving her daughter, Amelia, a bath and was FaceTiming her family like any other normal morning.
“While we were talking, David, my ex and Amelia’s dad, started texting me. The first one said, ‘This is your fault.’ I asked him what he meant, and he replied, ‘You’ll see,'” Sucato Fuller told 12News.
Sucato Fuller said her ex-boyfriend, later identified by police as 23-year-old David Jones, sent another text at 10:41 a.m.
One minute later, Sucato Fuller said she heard the first gunshots.
Police said that Jones forced entry into the house and confronted the 28-year-old man multiple times before turning the gun on himself. Court documents state that the victim, whom Sucato Fuller identified as her boyfriend in her statement to 12News, had gunshot wounds to the arm, chest, and head.
Court documents state that after shooting Sucato Fuller’s boyfriend multiple times, Jones pointed the gun at her and told her, “It was her fault.”
But Sucato Fuller’s boyfriend placed himself between her and Jones, ultimately being shot in the head by Jones, court documents state.
“He shot someone very dear to me multiple times. And even after all that, [Jones] raised the gun toward me,” Sucato Fuller told 12News. “That same person, already badly hurt, still stepped in front of me to protect me. He was shot in the head trying to save my life. He’s now in the ICU fighting for his life.”
Jones survived the self-inflicted gunshot wound and left the area, where he was later contacted by police.
Court documents state that Jones contacted a co-worker after the shooting and “told him he had just shot and killed his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend and tried to kill himself.”
Jones was later arrested by Tolleson police.
He is facing multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, first-degree burglary, and endangerment.
“It’s hard to even explain the shock and fear of those moments. One second, I’m bathing my baby, the next, my whole world is falling apart. But even in all this pain, I’m hanging onto God with everything I’ve got. I know He’s close to the brokenhearted, and right now I’m trusting Him for strength, healing, and a miracle,” Sucato Fuller said. “Please pray for us. Pray for the man who protected me, for our family, and for God’s covering as we try to get through something we never imagined facing.”
According to court documents, police did not believe Sucato Fuller’s boyfriend would survive his injuries, and he is still in critical condition at the hospital.
A fundraiser has been started to help Sucato Fuller and her daughter, Amelia. To learn more, head to the website.