An angry lover tried to kidnap and kill his ex-boyfriend from a local Jamba Juice, and later shot himself at a hospital.
The 28-year-old suspect (police have not released any names) had been arrested last month and was in court earlier that day, Phoenix PD spokesman Trent Crump says. Cops picked the man up on charges of domestic violence, stalking, criminal damage, threatening and intimidating after he had allegedly damaged the suspect's car and filled it with pool cleaning chemicals, among other things. All of this, and a restraining order, landed the suspect earlier that day in court.
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Hours after his court appearance, last night around 8 p.m. the suspect walked into the Jamba Juice near 2700 W. Thunderbird and forced the three employees into the back of the store, Phoenix PD says. The man took their cell phones and broke the store phones. He commanded that store employees get on their knees and took off through the back door with his ex-boyfriend. Outside the business, he told his ex that this would be their last day alive, Crump says - he had already left a suicide note at his home.
On the way to the suspect's Suburban, the victim knocked the gun from the man's hand and fell the the ground. The suspect shot him in the neck, the chest and missed a third time, Crump says.
Fifteen minutes later the suspect paced the entrance of the John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital. He jabbered incoherently and a nurse noticed and asked if he needed help. He held out his hand and passed her another suicide note.
In an examination room, the nurse saw the man wore a gun and holster and calmly left to get security and to call police. As security confronted the man, he held the gun to his head, he threatened to shoot himself, and as the first responding officer showed up, he did.
"I think the victim in this case did everything the police and system ask of him," Crump says. "He reported to police the incidents and got the court order; prosecution was sought. The victim did everything that we'd ask him to do.
The victim is expected to survive. The suspect had to be airlifted from John C. Lincoln to another hospital.
