Four teenagers arrested in connection with El Mirage homicide

El Mirage, Arizona: Four teenagers from El Mirage were arrested on June 26 after an intensive two-month homicide investigation. The El Mirage Police Department have accused the group of planning to rob a handgun from a 15-year-old boy on April 29. Each of the suspects was booked for first-degree murder, robbery, aggravated robbery, and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery

“During the robbery, the 15-year-old victim turned to run and was shot,” the El Mirage Police Department stated in a news release. According to the police, the shooter was a 16-year-old boy. The other suspects included another 16-year-old boy, a 17-year-old, and 18-year-old Joey Hernandez-Silvas.

The shooting occurred near Thunderbird and El Mirage roads. Officers responding to reports of shots fired found the victim face down and unresponsive in the front yard of a residence, with gunshot wounds to his upper torso. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Prior to the shooting, the suspects had planned to rob a resident of Surprise who intended to trade handguns. When the resident failed to show up, the four teens encountered the 15-year-old boy, who had already traded handguns with the intended victim. The suspects then lured the boy to the location where he was fatally shot as he tried to flee.

A Community in Mourning

“This is a tragedy that resulted in the loss of a young community member’s life,” El Mirage Police Chief Paul Marzocca expressed in the news release. “The family affected by this willful act of violence is in our thoughts and prayers and will not soon be forgotten.”