Beware and Be Alert: I-10 Serial Shooters Still At Large

by Jana Ritter - Published: 9/09/2015

Truck drivers beware and be on the lookout because the I-10 serial shooters are still at large, and there is a $20,000 reward for their capture. Since late August, there have been a string of incidents involving shots being fired randomly at vehicles traveling through Interstate 10 near Phoenix, AZ. On Tuesday, the Arizona Department of Public Safety officials were investigating two more shootings in addition to the number of other incidents that have occurred in the last few weeks. On Tuesday, a Phoenix police sergeant was driving his personal car along the I-10 to work before dawn when his passenger window was shattered by a random bullet between 35th and 43rd avenues. According to DPS officials, another shooting occurred close by and only a minute later.

                                                

If that isn’t enough, the DPS are also investigating three other shootings at vehicles occurring in recent days along the Loop 202 freeway, State Route 51 and another Phoenix-area highway (although exact details of that location weren’t immediately released.) “This is a priority for our department. Ten days, nine incidents. This is a real and continuing threat to Arizona motorists,” said DPS Director Frank Milstead at a recent news conference. Arizona officials also announced that the state’s Silent Witness program has quadrupled the reward to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter or shooters. Police have also been asking for the public's help in identifying a potential suspect and messages along the freeway billboards are urging people to report any suspicious activity.

                                                         

But Frank Milstead is taking further steps and in addition to help from the public and local police, his agency has brought in the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and has been conducting surveillance, deploying undercover detectives and members of the SWAT team and a gang task force.

"Anytime that you have multiple shootings against American citizens on a highway, that's terrorism. They're trying to frighten or kill somebody," said Milstead.

Fortunately nobody has been killed or injured by the shootings as of yet, but a 13-year-old girl was cut by broken glass after a bullet shattered a windshield of a vehicle she was riding in. Windows were damaged in a few other incidents and there are other reports of rounds hitting sides of vehicles and a headlight. Milstead said that until these people are caught, it’s just a matter of time before there is a serious tragedy.

Arizona officials are asking truck drivers and motorists to be alert and report any suspicious activity by calling the: SHOOTING TIPS HOTLINE 602-644-5805

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