By — Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press By — Terry Tang, Associated Press Terry Tang, Associated Press Leave a comment 0comments Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/gunman-opens-fire-in-arizona-retail-complex-to-gain-some-respect Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Gunman opens fire in Arizona retail complex Nation May 21, 2020 4:51 PM EDT GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A 20-year-old gunman who opened fire at a suburban Phoenix restaurant and retail complex, injuring three people, wanted to target people in his own age group in retaliation for bullying he had suffered, authorities said Thursday. The shooting rampage occurred Wednesday night after suspect Armando Hernandez scoped out Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, returned to his car to make a social media video and loaded three rifle magazines, police said. “I’m going to be the shooter of Westgate 2020,” Hernandez said in his Snapchat video, holding a beer in one hand. The footage also shows an AR-15-type rifle in the backseat of his car. “Let’s get this done, guys,” he said. Hernandez later surrendered, telling detectives that he intended to harm 10 people, though it’s unclear why he chose that number. “He wanted to gain some respect, and he felt that he had been bullied in his life,” Glendale police Sgt. Randy Stewart said. Police say Hernandez filmed the attack while holding a cellphone with his left hand and blasting away with the rifle in his right hand. The first two victims were shot outside a restaurant. As he moved through the complex, police say Hernandez fired shots to intimidate people before shooting the third victim. Hernandez surrendered without incident to one of the first officers who arrived at the complex adjacent to the stadium where the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals play. Authorities say Hernandez wounded a 19-year-old adult man, who remained hospitalized in critical condition. A 16-old-girl was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A third victim, a 30-year-old woman, did not require hospitalization. Hernandez, who lives in the neighboring suburb of Peoria, could face more than a dozen felony charges. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. It’s not yet clear how many shots were fired. Investigators say Hernandez moved around the complex during the attack, leaving spent shells in different spots. “Armando stated multiple times he wanted to do this mass shooting for respect and spoke of interest in previous mass shootings that have occurred in recent years,” police said in court records. Bystander video posted on social media showed people running from the area and embracing after being reunited. Eliana Rivera, a sales associate at a pottery painting store, posted on Twitter that she and a co-worker heard police running and helicopters overhead as they huddled in the back of the business, the Arizona Republic reported. “It’s just unreal,” Rivera said. “You see it on the news. It happens and you never really think that you would be put in that position. You just think, ‘What are the chances that that will happen?’ — and it did.” State Sen. Martin Quezada was at the complex during the shooting and wrote on Twitter that he witnessed a person “with an AR-15 shoot up Westgate.” In a statement Thursday, the Democratic lawmaker said he was “beyond horrified what I saw with my own eyes.” He then called for more gun control. “Civilians should not have access to these types of weapons and be able to walk into a mall to destroy people’s lives in a matter of seconds,” Quezada said. Associated Press writers Jonathan J. Cooper and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report. By — Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press By — Terry Tang, Associated Press Terry Tang, Associated Press
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A 20-year-old gunman who opened fire at a suburban Phoenix restaurant and retail complex, injuring three people, wanted to target people in his own age group in retaliation for bullying he had suffered, authorities said Thursday. The shooting rampage occurred Wednesday night after suspect Armando Hernandez scoped out Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, returned to his car to make a social media video and loaded three rifle magazines, police said. “I’m going to be the shooter of Westgate 2020,” Hernandez said in his Snapchat video, holding a beer in one hand. The footage also shows an AR-15-type rifle in the backseat of his car. “Let’s get this done, guys,” he said. Hernandez later surrendered, telling detectives that he intended to harm 10 people, though it’s unclear why he chose that number. “He wanted to gain some respect, and he felt that he had been bullied in his life,” Glendale police Sgt. Randy Stewart said. Police say Hernandez filmed the attack while holding a cellphone with his left hand and blasting away with the rifle in his right hand. The first two victims were shot outside a restaurant. As he moved through the complex, police say Hernandez fired shots to intimidate people before shooting the third victim. Hernandez surrendered without incident to one of the first officers who arrived at the complex adjacent to the stadium where the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals play. Authorities say Hernandez wounded a 19-year-old adult man, who remained hospitalized in critical condition. A 16-old-girl was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A third victim, a 30-year-old woman, did not require hospitalization. Hernandez, who lives in the neighboring suburb of Peoria, could face more than a dozen felony charges. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. It’s not yet clear how many shots were fired. Investigators say Hernandez moved around the complex during the attack, leaving spent shells in different spots. “Armando stated multiple times he wanted to do this mass shooting for respect and spoke of interest in previous mass shootings that have occurred in recent years,” police said in court records. Bystander video posted on social media showed people running from the area and embracing after being reunited. Eliana Rivera, a sales associate at a pottery painting store, posted on Twitter that she and a co-worker heard police running and helicopters overhead as they huddled in the back of the business, the Arizona Republic reported. “It’s just unreal,” Rivera said. “You see it on the news. It happens and you never really think that you would be put in that position. You just think, ‘What are the chances that that will happen?’ — and it did.” State Sen. Martin Quezada was at the complex during the shooting and wrote on Twitter that he witnessed a person “with an AR-15 shoot up Westgate.” In a statement Thursday, the Democratic lawmaker said he was “beyond horrified what I saw with my own eyes.” He then called for more gun control. “Civilians should not have access to these types of weapons and be able to walk into a mall to destroy people’s lives in a matter of seconds,” Quezada said. Associated Press writers Jonathan J. Cooper and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report.