Background: News footage of the scene in Tolleson, Ariz., after the Nov. 22 shooting (KPHO). Inset: Luis Garcia (Maricopa County Sheriff”s Office).
In a dramatic turn of events, an Arizona man has been taken into custody following the shooting of his elder brother, whom he accused of having an inappropriate relationship with his wife.
The incident unfolded on a Saturday evening when 42-year-old Luis Garcia attended a family birthday celebration at a local restaurant. The gathering turned volatile after Garcia reportedly became embroiled in a heated argument with his 45-year-old brother. According to court documents accessed by CBS affiliate KPHO, the dispute was sparked by a video that allegedly showed Garcia’s wife and brother together, leading him to suspect an affair between the two.
Amidst the verbal confrontation, Garcia is accused of drawing a firearm and shooting his brother in the abdomen.
Police interviewed Garcia’s wife, who had stepped out of the party to drive her parents home. On her way back, she attempted to contact both her husband and his brother but received no answer. Upon calling her brother-in-law a second time, she reportedly overheard the sounds of a scuffle over the phone.
When she returned to the restaurant, she discovered her brother-in-law lying on the ground with a gunshot wound. The brother’s wife had also found him in this critical state. Paramedics transported the injured man to the hospital, where he was listed in critical condition but is expected to recover.
Authorities revealed that alcohol might have played a role in the altercation, as noted by the brother’s wife. Both women recounted seeing Garcia leave the scene in his GMC truck following the shooting.
Surveillance video from a neighboring business caught the audio of the argument and the two shots. After the second shot, a woman’s voice was heard saying, “What are you doing? You just shot your brother!” A truck similar to Garcia’s GMC was then seen on the video driving out of the parking lot.
Police were able to track the truck to an apartment in Phoenix after they were unable to find Garcia at his home in Avondale. Garcia was arrested outside the apartment. During the arrest, police allegedly found a gun and a small bag of cocaine.
Garcia was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm within city limits, and possession of narcotics. He is being held at the Maricopa County Jail on $750,000 cash bond. His next court date is scheduled for Dec. 1.
