MESA, Ariz. — A woman who was killed near a Mesa bus stop Tuesday was "minding her own business," her children said, when a man shot her several times from a nearby gas station.
"My siblings and I are in complete disbelief that something so vicious could happen to someone like her," her three children said in a statement to 12News.
The shooting happened near Center and McKellips roads. 52-year-old Michelle Flippin was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Mesa police.
The suspect, 44-year-old Andrew Rada, was taken into custody shortly after the shooting due to real-time video officers had access to from intersection cameras, according to arrest documents.
Rada told police he was homeless and was parked at the gas station trying to get donations from customers when he saw Flippin at the bus stop. Rada told officers she was waving a "chrome handgun around talking out loud," the documents said. He told police several people were "running from the location due to her behavior." Rada said he went to his truck and shot the woman 10-15 times until she "went down," documents said.
He then got back into his truck and drove away.
However, according to footage from several cameras in the area, Flippin was not armed but was smoking a cigarette while facing away from where Rada was, documents said.
Footage shows Flippin being dropped off at the gas station and walking to the bus stop, documents said, which is when Rada allegedly grabbed a rifle and walked closer to Flippin before firing.
Almost 40 shell casings were found at the scene, officials said in the documents.
"Our rock, our protector, our mother was taken from us," Flippin's three children said in a statement to 12News. "She was on her way to get her new job going when this tragedy happened. She was minding her own business. She certainly did not deserve this."
Rada was booked on one count of first-degree murder, officials said.
Flippin's loved ones are raising money to lay her to rest. If you would like to donate, click here. Below is the full statement from Flippin's children on the tragic crime.
Our mom was an amazing woman. She was the most selfless person I knew, always putting others in front of herself. If you needed something, she would find a way to help even if she didn’t have the means to help. She cared so much about other people and wanted nothing but love in this world. Our mom was our rock. Family was everything to her. She would always protect her kids, protect anyone really. She was funny, she had a great sense of humor, and always knew the right thing to say. My siblings and I are in complete disbelief that something so vicious could happen to someone like her. Our rock, our protector, our mother was taken from us. She was on her way to get her new job going when this tragedy happened. She was minding her own business. She certainly did not deserve this. I ask kindly to give my family privacy during this time while we grieve. This is hard on all of us as this is something so sudden. We appreciate the community and all the kind words.
-Scotty, Ashley and Tara
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