A random shooting spree in Arizona resulted in four fatalities and one injured individual.
The perpetrator, 20-year-old Iren Byers, is now in police detention, facing charges that include four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
Byers was apprehended by law enforcement on May 27, after he was identified in CCTV footage at the crime scenes recorded on Friday and Saturday. Upon his arrest, Byers confessed to the crimes.
The shootings occurred in different locales, starting with one fatality in Phoenix on Friday, and subsequently, three fatalities and one injury in Mesa from late Friday to early Saturday. The injured party, a 36-year-old woman, was discovered at the intersection of Main and Stewart Streets in Mesa. She was in a stable condition but suffered serious gunshot wounds.
According to Detective Brandi George, a spokesperson for the police, the injured woman is set to undergo surgery.
Authorities suspect Byers had numerous motivations for the shootings, possibly including mental health issues. During his interrogation, Byers revealed that he shot the injured woman because of anger during their conversation.
Byers also confessed to killing a man in Phoenix because the victim was using fentanyl, a drug he despises due to personal experiences. He admitted to shooting the unarmed man in the head and leaving the scene on a bus.
The three deceased victims in Mesa, each 41 years old, were found in separate locations. Byers provided explanations for each killing, ranging from the victims’ connections to drugs to one being unfamiliar and homeless in the area. He admitted to not seeking medical assistance for any of his victims.
Police were able to identify Byers through surveillance footage, and shell casings from most of the crime scenes were matched to one handgun. After his arrest, Byers was also charged with trespassing on railway tracks. He revealed the whereabouts of the clothes and the weapon used during the crimes, which were recovered from his home.
Byers is currently being detained without the possibility of bail.