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Police: 4 men in deadly Phoenix crime spree were out to shoot homeless people, rob and steal

Posted at 3:13 PM, Apr 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-30 17:13:45-04

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Four men involved in a deadly Arizona crime spree early Wednesday morning were driving around "looking for homeless people to shoot" and "people to rob and vehicles to steal," according to police documents.

Police documents say a victim was sitting in his vehicle in his driveway in Phoenix when two men wearing masks approached him. One of the suspects reportedly fired a “black rifle” at the driver’s window, shattering it, and demanded he exit the car.

The suspects then got into a white Jeep Cherokee that was waiting for them and drove away. The victim followed them as he contacted police.

Near 17th and Grovers avenues, police caught up to the Jeep and the suspects fled from the car, but were quickly taken into custody. Officers searched the area and found a black Daisy airsoft pellet gun.

Around the same time, a call came in that a woman had been shot while standing in a McDonald’s drive-through area near 18th Avenue and Bell Road. She was reportedly shot by someone in a similar vehicle.

The woman died from her injuries at a hospital. Medical staff at the hospital confirmed a pellet-like object caused her injuries.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy made contact with officers, saying he had been shot at a few minutes earlier by someone in a white SUV.

That victim said the vehicle drove by him, and multiple people stuck a rifle out the window and shot him near 9th and Grovers avenues. He was hospitalized with a lacerated kidney injury and is in critical condition.

The suspects -- identified as Charles Harris, 19; Troy Brunetti, 18; Larry Scott, 19; and Austin Olson, 21 -- were taken to police headquarters where they were interviewed.

They reportedly admitted to their involvement in the incidents, saying they were “looking for homeless people to shoot.” They also said they were “looking for people to rob and vehicles to steal.”

According to police paperwork, they admitted that several people had been shot and they had shot at residential structures and vehicles.

The suspects reportedly played different roles during the crime spree.

Brunetti reportedly admitted to bringing the pellet gun and holding a man at gunpoint in his car.

Harris admitted to shooting the woman at the McDonald’s after she approached the car when they started to harass her, police say.

Harris also reportedly took the gun from Brunetti, who was holding the man in his car at gunpoint, and tried to aim for his head when the victim tried to drive away.

Police say Olson admitted to being the driver during most of the crime spree.

Scott told police he only fired the gun one time and did not shoot at a person, but a residential structure.

The suspects gave varying stories on who shot at the boy.

All of the suspects were booked into jail on multiple charges including first-degree murder, drive-by shooting, aggravated assault and attempted robbery.

This story was originally published by staff at KNXV.