Police searching for suspect in Laveen shooting

LAVEEN, AZ - A Valley woman claims her nephew was gunned down, all over a game of basketball.

Eighteen-year-old Brandon Gongora was shot and killed Monday night at a park in Laveen, police said.

According to Lisa, her son and his cousin, Gongora, went to play basketball at a nearby park Monday night. Lisa said her son told her they won a game against a pair of guys they met at the park, and that’s when everything went horribly wrong.

“My son called me and he was screaming in the phone and he said ‘mom I need you to come to the park, Brandon’s been shot,'” she said.

Lisa told ABC15 her son did not see anyone shoot but ran when Gongora saw trouble. Lisa believes this all happened because her son and nephew won what was supposed to be a friendly game of pickup.

“They didn’t even know these guys,” Lisa said.

Phoenix police have a different theory about what happened. While they wouldn’t say exactly what they think took place, they believe two groups argued in the park. One of them was reportedly asked to leave, and when they didn’t, the suspect allegedly took a gun out of his car and fired, missing the intended targets and striking Gongora. Currently, officials do not believe Gongora was part of the confrontation.

While both Lisa and Phoenix police differ on what may have happened, they both agree Gongora didn’t deserve to die.

“I want them (suspects) to know what a good person they took from us, because he was trying to be somebody,” Lisa said.

One other man was also hit, but is expected to be OK.

Police are searching for a suspect described as a black male between 16 and 18 years old, 5 foot 9 inches to 6 feet tall, 135 to 140 pounds and last seen wearing a red hooded jacket.

If you have any information on this case, you are urged to call police.