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Added on the 19/09/2015 14:46:44 - Copyright : Reuters - Next Media
Leslie Allen Merritt, the man accused by Arizona police of shooting at moving cars on highway I-10 near Phoenix, told a judge during his first court appearance on Saturday that, two months ago, he pawned the gun which police say was used in the August 29 and 30 shootings. Addressing the court, Merritt said, “All I have to say is that, I’m the wrong guy. I tried telling the detective that. My gun’s been in the pawn shop for the last two months, I haven’t even had access to a weapon.” Arizona police arrested Leslie Allen Merritt at a Phoenix Walmart on Friday night. Merritt pawned a 9mm handgun that police say was forensically linked to the four shootings on highway I-10 on August 29 and 30. Bullet fragments were collected from the four vehicles that were hit, revealing the type of weapon used. Police then went to pawn shops in the Phoenix area and collected 9mm handguns. When police compared bullets fired from the pawned guns, only one matched fragments taken from the vehicles. Police collected the gun in question from the Mo-Money Pawn Shop, in Phoenix, on September 16, and say it was used in shootings on August 29 and 30. In his bail hearing, Merritt claimed he pawned that gun two months earlier, so he could not have possessed it at the time of the shootings. However, on Twitter, Phoenix city councilman, Sal DiCiccio, said the person who pawned the gun and the person who bought the gun were one in the same. Neither he, the police, nor the pawn shop would state when the gun was last pawned. A total of 11 vehicles were shot, but Merritt is only accused of shooting four, with the others attributed to copycat shooters.
Arizona Police continue to search for suspects and a motive after four separate shootings on the I-10 in Phoenix over the past few days, Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Frank Milstead told a press conference Monday.According to Milstead, the first shooting occurred at 11:03 a.m. on Saturday. A sports utility vehicle was struck in the windshield while travelling eastbound on I-10 near 19th Street. A 13-year-old girl was injured in her right ear. She was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover from her wounds.Shortly after, a passenger bus was struck on the side at 11:09 a.m. westbound on I-10 around 59th Street. Only the driver was on board and he was not injured, said Milstead.At 10:15 p.m., a vehicle travelling eastbound on I-10 around 16th Street was struck on the side, however, the owner of the vehicle did not inspect the car until following day. On Monday at around 4:25 a.m. near 35th Avenue, a bullet struck a truck in the front headlight on the drivers side, said Milstead.The incidents are still under investigation and police do not know whether they are related. Authorities are urging the public to stay vigilant and to share any information regarding the shootings by contacting the Arizona Department of Public Safety at 602-223-2212.
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