Jorge Adrian Ramirez (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office) and surveillance images of the car allegedly involved in the fatal shooting (Phoenix Police Dept.)
A 20-year-old man in Arizona has been arrested after he allegedly killed his 32-year-old stepfather, gunning him down during a road rage incident sparked by the older man “brake checking” him. Jorge Adrian Ramirez was taken into custody on Sunday and charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of unlawfully discharging a firearm in the slaying of Jose Angel Ruiz Leyva, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Phoenix Police Department, officers at about 5:35 p.m. on Feb. 3 responded to an area near the 4000 block of West Hadley Street, near 40th Avenue, after reports of a shooting.
Upon arriving at the scene, first responders said they located an adult male victim — later identified as Leyva — suffering from “at least one gunshot wound.” Emergency medical personnel immediately transported Leyva to Banner University Medical Center for treatment of “serious injuries” suffered in the attack. However, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the facility.
Detectives responded to the location of the shooting and assumed control of the investigation. Detectives obtained surveillance footage from the area near the crime scene which they say showed a vehicle believed to be involved in the incident leaving the area after the shooting. That vehicle was being driven by Ramirez, police said.
Additional details about the shooting were revealed in court documents obtained by Phoenix CBS affiliate KPHO.
According to the report, Ramirez’s mother, who is also Leyva’s wife, was a passenger in the car being driven by Leyva at the time of the shooting but was unharmed.
After publicly releasing photographs of the vehicle involved in the shooting, authorities said they were able to quickly home in and identify Ramirez as the suspected shooter. His mother also reportedly told police that her son was the shooter.
Investigators located Ramirez on Sunday and followed him until he could be apprehended without incident, the Arizona Republic reported.
After being taken into custody, Ramirez allegedly confessed to the murder in a post-Miranda interview with detectives.
Per KPHO, Ramirez said that he and his stepfather had been arguing at a nearby home immediately before the attack. Following the argument, Ramirez said he tried to drive away, but his stepfather pulled away first and was repeatedly “brake checking” him. Ramirez grew increasingly angry until he allegedly got out of his car at an intersection, walked over to the front of Leyva’s car, and fired seven shots into the vehicle. He then got back in her car and fled the scene.
He reportedly said that he used his mother’s gun, not his own, to kill Leyva.
Additionally, Ramirez allegedly said that he was motivated to kill Leyva because he had been physically abusive to his mother, an allegation that Ramirez’s mother reportedly confirmed to police.
Homicide detectives emphasized that the investigation into the shooting remains ongoing and have urged anyone with information relevant to the case to contact the Phoenix Police Department.
Ramirez is currently being held at the Maricopa County Jail on a $1 million secured appearance bond. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 12.
