PHOENIX — A Tucson man is going to prison for nearly 30 years for trying to kill his former employer in Phoenix.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that 34-year-old Zane James Hammond pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to 29 years in prison on July 31.
VIDEO: Authorities released surveillance video of the incident, in the player below
Authorities say in November 2023, Hammond worked as a truck driver in Tucson and drove to the Phoenix headquarters of his former employer, armed with a shotgun.
The attack happened after a minor dispute in which Hammond abruptly quit and set out to confront the company's leadership, according to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
When Hammond arrived at the Phoenix location, surveillance video shows him grab the gun and walk into the president's office and fire directly at him.
The victim was uninjured and was able to flip his desk and take cover.
At this time, Hammond turned the gun toward the company's vice president but he was able to disarm him and hold him in a chokehold until Phoenix police arrived and arrested him.
He was ultimately charged with two counts of attempted murder, both class two dangerous felonies.
“He drove to Phoenix with a shotgun and a mission to kill. That’s not rage, that’s premeditation,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Thanks to sheer bravery, no one died. Now, he will spend nearly three decades in prison, where he belongs.”
