PHOENIX — Happy Friday! We've made it to a new month!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Friday, May 1; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Warming up for the weekend across Arizona
We'll be heating up this weekend in the Valley. Highs today reach the low 90s under mostly sunny skies, then we jump into the mid 90s Saturday and Sunday, with breezy conditions all weekend long.
MCAO: Phoenix officer who shot and killed wrong man in January will not be charged
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced Thursday her office will not charge the Phoenix police officer who shot and killed a homeowner who had disarmed a gunman in January.
36-year-old Christian Diaz Rendon died January 26th after his family and neighbors called Phoenix police to the neighborhood near 75th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, as someone who didn’t live in the neighborhood was shooting and eventually making his way inside Rendon's home.
"We don't know who it is. Somebody's at our house, and they are shooting at us." One caller stated. "We have kids here. They shot my brother in his ankle."
Diaz Rendon was in a fight, disarming the suspect when police arrived. One officer from outside the home shot through the open front door at the two men struggling. The shooting happened just after 6 p.m, hitting and killing Diaz Rendon.
Scam texts send dozens of people to Maricopa court over fake fines
Dozens of people have shown up at Maricopa County Court after receiving a fake text that shows a court date, the name of a judge, fines, and even a QR code demanding immediate payment.
The Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County said 32 people showed up on Wednesday due to the scam.
ABC15 spoke with roughly two dozen more people Thursday morning in just one hour.
That includes one man who said he drove all the way from the Four Corners area to Phoenix.
"Pissed me off because I had to run, I had to get up early just to make it down here, kind of a five-hour drive for me,” Chris said.
Gilbert uses intersection cameras to monitor traffic safety and reduce crashes across town
Cameras are mounted on traffic signals at intersections throughout Gilbert, but town officials are clear about what they are not for.
"They're not to give tickets, it's not to recognize your car," town engineer Susanna Struble said.
The Town says the cameras are designed to track how traffic flows, not just at one light, but across entire corridors. Inside Gilbert's Traffic Operations Center, engineers monitor hundreds of intersections simultaneously, with each one feeding back live video and data in real time.
"They're there to pick up that information and help us read what is actually happening as traffic flows through, how much volume there is at any one time. And if we need to make automatic changes at an intersection, we can do that visually from here," Struble said.
The goal, the town says, is fewer crashes and smoother traffic flow.
Chandler couple's horse 'So Happy' chases history at the Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is days away, and for one Chandler couple, this year is different. They are not just going to watch; they have a horse in the race.
The name says it all. Ana and Hans Maron have attended the Kentucky Derby for years as fans. This year, they walk in as owners of a contender at Churchill Downs.
"Never really thought we would be in this position, honestly,” Hans said.
Horse racing has been Hans' passion for decades. The couple rekindled that love in 2015, and last year, they bought a colt named "So Happy." Ana chose the name, blending the names of the horse's mother and father.
