PHOENIX – A man convicted of multiple shootings in the Valley, including one that seriously injured a Phoenix Police detective, was sentenced on Oct. 14.
Aaron Ware, 25, received life in prison, and more than 58 additional years, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said.
The backstory:
On June 14, 2022, police say the detective was inside an unmarked car near 39th Avenue and Baseline Road and conducting surveillance on another vehicle that was believed to be connected to several shootings earlier in the month.
The suspect’s vehicle drove up next to the detective’s, and two masked men got out.
“The two men got out of the car with handguns drawn and pulled masks over their faces,” Phoenix Police Sgt. Philip Krynsky previously told FOX 10. “Through the rearview mirror the detective was able to see the actions of the two males and began to put on her police ballistic vest and draw her handgun.”
Police say both suspects opened fire, striking the detective multiple times. The detective was unable to return fire due to her injuries, but she called for help over her radio.
The suspects, who were later identified as Ware and 25-year-old Ahmani Gordon, fled the scene but were found by police at a nearby home where they were taken into custody. Police say forensic evidence linked the guns and shell casings to the shooting.
The detective survived the shooting. Police say her ballistic vest helped save her life by blocking at least one of the gunshots.
Dig deeper:
Ware was also charged in connection with four other shootings, one of which resulted in three people being shot. They all survived. He was convicted earlier this year during two separate trials on multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, drive-by shooting and disorderly conduct.
MCAO says Gordon was only charged in the June 14 shooting and was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated assault.
Ahmani Gordon (left) and Aaron Ware
What they’re saying:
“When someone puts our community and the people protecting it in danger, there has to be real consequences,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said. “This sentence is justice not only for the victims, but for every person in Maricopa County who deserves to live without fear of violence in their neighborhood.”
“This was not an accident; this was an assault on the very foundation of public safety,” Executive Assistant Phoenix Police Chief Dennis Orender said. “We ask that the Court impose a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the crime, and one that acknowledges the lasting harm inflicted on the victim and this police department, and one that sends a clear message: attacks on those who protect our community will not be tolerated.”
Map of where the shooting happened
The Source: The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and a FOX 10 report on June 30, 2022.
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