Arizona Governor Doug Ducey says that the shooter who has terrorized motorists along I-10 in Phoenix has been apprehended.
BREAKING: We got him! DPS SWAT team is in custody of the individual suspected of I-10 shootings. Apprehended moments ago.
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) September 19, 2015
He was apparently arrested at a Walmart, and has been identified.
BREAKING: Photo of #freewayshootings suspect being walked into @Arizona_DPS @azfamily @CBS5AZ pic.twitter.com/9Yz876LUqC — Jonathan Lowe (@JLoweCBS5) September 19, 2015
Breaking: DPS confirms suspect is 21 yo Leslie Allen Merritt; arrested at a Walmart tonight in connection to I-10 shootings #fox10phoenix
— Nicole Garcia Fox10 (@Fox10_NicoleG) September 19, 2015
On first blush, the evidence seems pretty convincing:
FOX 10 spoke with a source in the DPS command staff who says Merritt Jr. had anti-police and anti-government views, was vocal about his views on social media.
Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio tweeted that DPS located a 9mm handgun that was recently pawned a gun that matched the same as the freeway shootings. The owner and person who pawned it was the same person who is in custody.
Bullets recovered from the first four vehicles were apparently a ballistic match to Merritt’s gun, which he’d bought new.
Authorities have only tied this suspect to four of the eleven shootings so far. It is quite possible that the others were committed by copycats.
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