Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via AP Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., the 21-year-old suspect in a string of highway shootings in Phoenix, Ariz., kicks his legs while waiting for Saturday’s court hearing.
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Merritt’s father told The Associated Press that his son had nothing to do with the shootings and that anyone who says he was involved is a “moron”.
Authorities had been monitoring pawn shops that had bought or loaned a firearm that matched the make of any of the guns used on the freeway, Graves said.
‘This was the result of exhaustive police work’.
One of the victims of the freeway shooting spree talked to us about his terrifying experience, and about the arrest of Leslie Merritt, Jr.
A SWAT team swarmed Merritt in a Walmart on Friday.
He was the only one taken into custody. “He might have pinned himself in now for his defense”, McCowan said.
Graves declined to comment on Merritt’s statement in court that his gun was in the pawn shop at the time of the shootings and similar statements made by his family.
“All I have to say is I’m the wrong guy”.
Merritt insisted in court on Saturday that the police have “the wrong guy”, and that his gun had been in the pawnshop for the past two months.
Surveillance: The Arizona Department of Public Safety had reportedly been monitoring Merritt Jr. The weapon was recovered by investigators at the pawn shop and reportedly tested for matching.
Last week, Milstead said that he believed there could be multiple shooters and has previously called the incidents ‘domestic terrorism crimes’.
After weeks of terror on our roadways, troopers have arrested a suspect in the freeway shootings. Apprehended moments ago’.
At least 11 shootings have taken place on or near Arizona’s Interstate 10 since August 29, including a semi-trailer being struck in the side by a bullet, police told AFP. A 13-year-old girl was injured by shattered glass from a auto window.
McDonald is in southern California and had to drive the stretch of the I-10 in Phoenix last night where the shooting happened.
The shootings prompted several school districts to keep their buses off freeways, and some commuters altered their routes.
Authorities offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Officials said the investigation continues into potential suspects in the other shooting incidents.
Eleven vehicles were shot at on or near the I-10 freeway running through Phoenix since August.
The suspect has no connection to a man who was questioned by police about the shootings earlier in the week, Graves said.
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But whether Merritt is ultimately found guilty of shooting at motorists, forensic investigators note that such perpetrators are often motivated by anger, revenge, psychosis, and a longing to have a sense of power over other people. In addition to the shootings, authorities said there were “numerous reports” of damaged cars.
