GLOBE, AZ — Parents in the Globe-Miami area are worried about sending their kids to school, as a person of interest in a deadly New Year’s Day shooting still has not been found. A juvenile died in the shooting.
On New Year’s Day, in the early morning, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office said a shooting occurred at a holiday party. Authorities named 19-year-old Deshawn Tarango as a person of interest. However, he still has not been located.
The victim later died at the hospital as a result of the shooting. Family members have identified the victim as 15-year-old Julian Quintana.
Over the weekend, the San Carlos Apache Police Department put out a notice, saying Tarango has a state warrant for disorderly conduct involving a deadly weapon.
Since the shooting, Globe Police said they received reports of threats to the area schools; however, the police chief told ABC15 those threats were not credible. Since then, police have also increased patrols on campuses, but families remain concerned.
Mom Savannah Edwards reached out to ABC15, worried about her two daughters’ safety, and decided not to send them to school.
“I personally feel left in the dark because there’s rumors and all kinds of other things, and it's just like, ‘Oh, none of the things are valid. Don't worry.’ And it’s like these are our children’s lives, how do we not worry?” She questioned.
Police Chief Dale Walters told ABC15 it is safe for students to go to school and encourages anyone with information concerning credible threats, to report it to them. However, from what they’ve investigated, the social media threats have not been credible.
Kiara, Edwards’ daughter and a student at a Globe school, told ABC15 she is still scared of going to school.
"I feel like there should be a little bit more,” she said of the number of officers patrolling campus.
ABC15 was told the shooting investigation is being led by the Gila County Sheriff’s Office. ABC15 reached out to the sheriff’s office multiple times for updates on Tarango’s whereabouts and about the shooting investigation, but hasn’t heard back yet.
Anyone with information on Tarango’s location should call 911, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office, or the San Carlos Apache Police Department. Authorities urge people to not approach him.
A fundraising website has also been created for Quintana here.
