Good Wednesday morning!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for May 21, 2025; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Heating up in the Valley this week
Temperatures are heating up as high pressure builds in. The Valley will be back in the triple digits starting today and Phoenix could top 105º for the first time this year by Thursday.
See Kidcaster Morgan's forecast:
Renter accused of killing landscaper hired by landlord to trim trees in Gilbert
A man is facing charges for allegedly shooting and killing a landscaper hired to do work on a rental property.
Just after 4:30 p.m. Monday, Gilbert police were alerted about an argument between two men. While on the way to the location, near Power and Germann roads, officers were informed that a shooting had occurred.
Officials say when officers arrived, they located a victim, identified as 51-year-old Manuel Vega Lopez, with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The alleged shooter, identified as 28-year-old Wyatt Ford, was taken into custody by police.
According to a police report, just before the shooting, Ford's wife called police and reported her husband was outside confronting a man they believed was involved in a prior incident of attempting to steal from and vandalize their trailer.
ADCRR responds to inmates recording videos of assaults
New videos provided by inmate advocate Donna Hamm and posted publicly by an inmate on Facebook show two inmates beating another with a padlock in the Tucson complex, with no prison staff in sight for minutes.
“This is what we're seeing and this is a tiny, tiny sliver of what goes on 24/7,” said Donna Hamm of Middle Ground Prison Reform. “The Department of Corrections is in crisis mode. And they are not hiding it very well.”
In response to the reporting, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) called the video an isolated incident.
But ABC15 has obtained videos, also recorded and posted by inmates, showing additional assaults and even TikTok-style videos.
The executive director of the Arizona Correctional Peace Officers Association, Carlos Garcia, told ABC15 that staffing shortages are fueling the problem.
Second park ranger resigns amid investigation into Mesa park rangers
A second Mesa park ranger has resigned this week following a criminal investigation into the unit amid allegations of targeting people experiencing homelessness and using racial slurs.
The following story contains strong language that some may find offensive. Viewer discretion is advised.
A city spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that a seventh ranger was placed on administrative leave pending findings by the Mesa Police Department, but that person then resigned this week.
The details around the findings are unclear, as the investigation remains open.
A second Mesa park ranger has resigned this week following a criminal investigation into the unit amid allegations of targeting people experiencing homelessness and using racial slurs. A city spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that a seventh ranger was placed on administrative leave pending findings by the Mesa Police Department, but that person then resigned this week. The details around the findings are unclear, as the investigation remains open.
ABC15 viewer shares concerns after numerous crashes along Sarival Road in Surprise
This story takes place in a neighborhood near Loop 303 and Bell Road, where residents are concerned about a "dangerous curve."
An ABC15 viewer reached out to our Operation Safe Roads team saying one home near the curve has had numerous vehicles crash through their block wall and into their yard and house. Filling a gap created by a recent crash is a large piece of wood that reads "CITY OF SURPRISE, DO WE HAVE TO DIE TO FIX THE ROAD...18 AND COUNTING CRASHES."
