Maricopa police responded to two unrelated shootings in the city last night, one in a small apartment complex and the other in Maricopa Meadows.  

The first occurred near Walmart, where multiple residents reported hearing gunshots following an argument at the Horizon at the Wells apartments on Shea Way at 9:48 p.m. When they arrived, officers found five rifle casings in the parking lot, according to a police spokesperson. 

Robert Stahmer said he was lying in bed for the night when he heard loud banging outside his apartment. 

“It sounded like someone was banging on the dumpster, it was really loud. It startled me awake, and then I heard a car alarm go off after that, so I got up to see if it was my car alarm that was going off,” he told InMaricopa. 

From his patio, he could hear a woman calling out for help and saw a large police response arrive within minutes. Stahmer said police returned this morning to continue processing the scene. 

Police said a gray sedan was seen leaving the complex immediately after the shooting and while they have no suspects, no one was injured. They are still investigating, a spokesperson said. 

Stahmer said his family has lived in the complex for several years, and they have never experienced this kind of event. 

“It’s terrifying to have somebody shooting so close to our apartment. My son was asleep in his bed when it happened, and a stray bullet could have easily hit anybody,” he said. “There’s kids that live on all three floors of my building, and one of those bullets could have easily hit our apartment or anybody’s apartment.” 

Shots fired in the Meadows 

Several hours later, officers responded to calls of gunshots on Rainbow Drive in Maricopa Meadows.  

Residents told police they heard shots around 3:12 a.m. and during their response, spotted several people standing outside a home on Keller Drive who immediately ran inside, according to a police spokesperson. During their investigation, officers found bullet casings and a handgun inside a silver sedan.  

Police arrested the owner of the sedan for interfering with an investigation but did not identify the person. No injuries were reported and police did not say what led to the shooting.  

“We have no indication that the two [shootings] are related at this time,” the spokesperson said.