A suspect who fired shots at a Phoenix home before forcing his way inside is facing murder and other felony charges after police accidentally shot the homeowner.
On Tuesday, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced that an 11-count indictment has been filed against 33-year-old Edgar Ledezma Garcia in connection with an incident that resulted in the death of Christian Diaz late last month.
Garcia is being prosecuted under an Arizona law that allows a defendant to be charged with first-degree murder if someone dies during a dangerous felony, even if the suspect didn't actually kill the other person.
The charges stem from a situation that began during the evening of Monday, Jan. 26, in a neighborhood near 75th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. According to court documents, Garcia had gone to the home, where Diaz lived with his family, and an argument broke out.
During the fight, Garcia reportedly grabbed a shotgun from his pickup truck and fired multiple rounds at the door. Per documents, he retrieved two more guns and fired about 20 more rounds at the house.
A neighbor called 911 to report the shooting, followed by calls made by Diaz and other family members. Police say Garcia then forced his way into the home while still armed and shot a family member in the leg.
In surveillance video released on Monday, Diaz is seen tackling Garcia to the ground and disarming him just inside the front door as officers approach the house. Body-cam video, also released on Monday, shows a Phoenix police officer fire a single shot into the home through the open front door, which struck Diaz.
Diaz died at the scene. The family member shot by Garcia was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Garcia was hospitalized before being booked into the Maricopa County jail. In addition to first-degree murder, Garcia was also indicted for burglary, kidnapping, disorderly conduct and multiple counts of discharging a firearm at a structure.
Other family members inside the home said they knew Garcia and told investigators of his mental health issues. Last Friday, Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano released a statement, confirming that the man who died was not the intended suspect.
