Merritt is facing a total of 28 felony charges, including four counts each of intentional terrorism, committing a drive-by shooting, endangerment, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal damage, disorderly conduct and discharging a firearm within city limits, the Republic reports, citing court documents.
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“The suspect presents a dramatic and profound threat to the community”, said Maricopa County attorney’s Ed Leiter.
“All I have to say is that I’m the wrong guy”.
“Merritt’s arrest is “different in the sense that crowd sourcing didn’t catch the “‘bad guy, ‘ but it’s eerily similar when we make blanket statements of affirmation prematurely”, he says.
Investigators tracked Merritt throughout the day Friday and spotted him at a pawn shop selling a gun, according to NBC affiliate KPNX.
“I think nothing has been ruled out at this point”, he said.
Merritt, 21, of Glendale was arrested Friday night shortly before 7 p.m. near the Wal-Mart in the 5700 block of W Northern Avenue.
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. No one was injured. Last week, three teens were arrested for using a sling shot and gravel to shoot out a rear window of a vehicle .
Are there others out there?
“We are still interested in any additional information leading to the arrest of any suspect in those two other scenarios that have been mentioned by director (Col. Frank) Milstead”, Graves said. He said the investigation continues.
The father of the alleged freeway shootings suspect is speaking out about his son’s arrest.
Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., the suspect in a series of Phoenix…
He said his son worked as a landscaper and likes guns but is not a criminal.
Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., makes his initial appearance before a judge at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday.
He, like many on social media, believes the message Governor Ducey tweeted last night was “inappropriate” because “the words [he] used were wrong” or possibly misleading. “And as soon as she says that, like five, six unmarked units just rolled up with blue and reds flashing everywhere”, he said. The Wal-Mart where the suspect was arrested is 6 miles north of some of the shootings. More shootings followed, with the latest reported September 10.
Schools even kept the buses off this road to be safe.
Graves says a $50,000 reward is still available as investigators try to solve the other cases.
Ducey praised the work of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and said the investigation remains ongoing.
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Merritt, Sr. also said that he hopes whoever is responsible for the freeway shootings will be brought to justice. Authorities said he was not a suspect in the shootings.
