PHOENIX — A 26-year-old Phoenix man is dead after he allegedly shot and killed his grandparents and uncle and injured another family member.
Police say Gilbert Gonzalez had been drinking and making suicidal statements before shooting his grandparents, 66-year-old Delia Noriega, 62-year-old Isaias Tovar Sr, and his uncle, 31-year-old Isaias Tovar Jr.
Investigators say at some point during the shooting, one of the family members returned fire, striking Gonzalez.
Another family member, a 19-year-old man, was also wounded but is in the hospital expected to survive.
The shooting happened shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday at a home near 62nd Avenue and Elm Street, just south of Camelback Road.
When officers arrived, they found five adults with gunshot wounds inside the residence. Gonzalez’s grandparents were pronounced dead on scene.
The suspect, his uncle and the other family member were taken to an area hospital, where Gonzalez and his uncle died.
Family members told 12 News they were heartbroken and were arranging for family to come down from California, where they are from.
Residents who live near the crime scene say they heard six to seven shots being fired close together when the incident took place.
“They almost sounded like firecrackers," said neighbor Robert Cane. “Some of the shots seemed to overlap each other like if they were maybe more than one gun."
Police remained on scene most of Wednesday gathering evidence.
“It’s just sad to see that it’s happening in my own neighborhood," said Jason Sinks who lives in the area. “Being so close to home and having police over my house and all down my neighborhood, it’s just not something I like to see."