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On the afternoon of November 20, 2023, 26-year-old Dominic Celaya of Arizona allegedly shot and killed two men at random at a bus stop near Northern and 51st avenues in Glendale. The victims were identified as 69-year-old Richard Hodakievic and 24-year-old Jaquey James.
Dominic Celaya was apprehended and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm.
Both victims were transported to the hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead.
Arizona shooting suspect had an altercation with his girlfriend shortly before the incident
AZ Family reported that on November 20, 2023, at about 2:35 pm, 911 dispatchers responded to a report of two people being shot, with multiple witnesses informing authorities that they have seen the suspect escape the scene.
According to the report by AZ Family, Richard Hodakievic suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his head and arm, while Jaquey James was shot in his left arm and torso.
The report by AZ Family stated that following the shooting, Dominic Celaya's girlfriend informed the authorities that they had an altercation in a vehicle about an order of protection she had against him. The altercation eventually turned physical.
According to the report by AZ Family, the Arizona shooting suspect then reportedly exited the car and started firing in the middle of the street.
KTAR News reported that Glendale Police spokesman Jose Santiago noted:
"She was one of the witnesses, and she helped us identify him as the shooter."
AZ Family reported that the Arizona shooting suspect was located hiding in a pile of compost in the backyard of a nearby residence and was apprehended after being bit by a police K-9.
During a press conference on the morning of November 21, 2023, Glendale Police spokesman Jose Santiago said,
"We have no reason to believe that he knew either one of these individuals. We believe this to be a truly random act. It's a horrific act."
The report by the Associated Press mentioned that a handgun was recovered from Dominic Celaya's backpack.
Arizona shooting suspect reportedly denied shooting a gun
Associated Press reported that in a police interview, Dominic Celaya refused to admit that he shot a gun and claimed not to remember anything regarding the incident.
Glendale Police spokesman Jose Santiago spoke about the incident, saying:
"I can't stress enough how heinous of an act this is. These two individuals were simply sitting at a bus stop when Mr. Celaya approached them firing multiple rounds. We are quite thankful that the situation wasn't much worse. This was a very active intersection. This was at the height of a Monday afternoon."
AZ Family reported that Dominic Celaya is booked into the Maricopa County jail, with bail set at $1 million.
