PHOENIX — The Phoenix group home where a teenager was fatally shot last year is expected to close soon.
North Star Independent Living said in a statement it has chosen not to renew its lease on the Mountain View facility, where one of its teenage residents was killed last September.
In subsequent investigations, Phoenix police reported finding several firearms and drugs stashed inside the group home.
North Star licenses the home through the Arizona Department of Child Safety to house foster teens.
The group home, located near 19th Avenue and Mountain View Road, consists of multiple units occupied by residents between the ages of 16 and 20. Police have said the victim and suspect from the September shooting were both residents of the facility.
But the company has now chosen to shut down the Mountain View facility after consulting with DCS.
"DCS did not request this action, but we believe it is in the best interest of all parties and allows North Star to remain focused on our residents and the good work our staff is doing to keep them safe and secure," the company told 12News in a statement.
North Star has been the subject of several complaints from DCS over how the company operates its facilities, public records show.
The company told 12News that current residents of the Mountain View facility will be placed in other homes by the end of this month.
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