This is (hopefully) a relief!
Arizona police announced on Friday afternoon that they believe they have captured the man responsible for at least four of the seemingly random freeway shootings in Phoenix over the last month.
Related: Three Teens Arrested For Copycat Crimes Linked To Highway Shooter!
The man, Leslie Allen Merritt, Jr., was taken into custody outside a Walmart in Glendale, Arizona at about 7pm local time on Friday night, though as of late that evening, he had not yet been formally charged in the shootings.
Frank Milstead, the Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, said that Merritt was arrested specifically over the first four shootings, which happened August 29 and 30.
However, Merritt’s father is adamant that his son had nothing to do with the shootings, telling reporters:
“He has way too much value for human life to even take the slightest or remotest risk of actually injuring someone.”
More pressing for police is the fact that there are still half a dozen shootings unaccounted for, and Milstead is worried about more copy cats. At a press conference Friday night, the law enforcement official told media outlets:
“Are there others out there? Are there copycats? That is possible.”
The fact that this case is obviously still so unresolved is pretty scary!
Watch the video of the police press conference regarding Merritt’s arrest (below):
Regardless, it’s a relief that police at least appear to be closing in on the suspect(s) behind these senseless and stupid acts.
[Image via AP.]