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On Friday, April 7, 27-year-old Arizona woman Kathryn "Katie" Hansen was arrested for the murders of Keith Emmons, 32, and Aaron Byous, 41. According to the Pheonix Police Department, Kathryn Hansen murdered Keith Emmons on February 7 in Mesa.
Authorities reported that they discovered Emmons' body with multiple gunshot wounds in his home. No further details about the victim's death were revealed. After her arrest, authorities determined that Hansen was also a suspect in the January shooting of Aaron Byous.
Trigger warning: This article concerns gun violence. Readers' discretion is advised.
As per Arizona Central news, Mesa authorities have been pursuing Kathryn Hansen since the murder of Keith Emmons. They responded to the scene of Emmons' murder after neighbors in the area had called about a shooting.
Witnesses at the scene identified Kathryn Hansen as the primary suspect, leading to a two-month manhunt. Hansen is currently under police custody.
Authorities respond to the arrest of Keith Emmons' alleged killer
In an official statement, Mesa authorities commended the public for providing tip-offs in the pursuit of Keith Emmons' suspected murderer. A Mesa Police Department spokesperson said they managed to arrest Kathryn Hansen after a civilian provided a lead on the suspects' location.
In a Facebook post, the department stated:
"The Mesa Police Department would like to thank the community for their assistance in this case. We asked for the public’s help and received several tips. Those tips allowed detectives to follow up on leads that we believe ultimately led to Hansen’s arrest."
Officials have not yet disclosed any reason behind the murder of Keith Emmons. They stated that the shooting of Aaron Byous reportedly occurred in the victim's home after he got into a verbal argument with the suspect, which escalated into a gunfight.
Hansen was reportedly in the home at the time of the shooting but fled after Byous was fatally injured. Kathryn Hansen is currently facing two charges of first-degree murder.
Gun violence in Arizona
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Keith Emmons is among over 1000 victims who die from gun violence in Arizona per year. The Educational Fund of Gun Violence reported that firearms are involved in over 70% of homicides across the state.
Democratic politicians such as Representative Ruben Gallego claimed that the violence stems from lax gun laws in the state.
Republicans such as Andy Biggs, on the other hand, claimed that a right to a firearm should continue to be supported by the Second Amendment. He argued that social issues, poverty, and a lack of support for the mentally ill led to endemic gun violence nationwide.
The gun violence debate continued to polarize people across the State in March when a drive-by shooting left a 5-year-old dead and two others injured. All the victims in the incident were minors.
