Road rage led to deadly Phoenix shooting

PHOENIX - Police say road rage sparked a south Phoenix shooting that left a man dead.

At least a dozen police units responded to the scene near 17th Street and Southern Avenue late Tuesday afternoon as their investigation unfolded over several hours.

"Pretty crazy," said Al Balderas, whose daughter's car was hit during the incident. "I'm just worried about my family."

Phoenix police tell ABC15 it appears two drivers got into a verbal altercation at a nearby intersection, and began honking and shouting at each other.

One of the drivers reportedly opened fire on the victim's red SUV, striking the victim, who then collided with several other cars. Police said the victim also had a weapon inside his vehicle at the time of the incident, though it is unclear if he fired on the suspect's pickup truck.

The victim was transported to a nearby hospital where he died from wounds sustained in the shooting. His identity has not yet been released.

Police said the suspect fled the scene.

During the course of the investigation, and with help from witnesses, officers located the suspect's pickup and took the male driver into custody.

"We think we may have everybody involved at this point," said Phoenix police Sgt. Trent Crump.

No other bystanders were injured in the shooting.

Five vehicles were damaged when the victim lost control of his SUV and crossed a median. Witnesses said it looked like the driver was slumped over the steering wheel.

"The car just kept going and hitting other cars," Balderas said.

Both the suspect's and the victim's weapons were recovered, police said. It is unclear if any passengers were inside either of the men's vehicles at the time of the altercation.

Southern Avenue was closed in both directions from 16th Street to 20th Street for several hours as police investigated the incident.