Man accused of deadly shooting spree in Phoenix, Mesa makes first court appearance
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- The man accused of shooting five people, killing four, in Mesa and Phoenix made his initial court appearance over the weekend.
Iren Byers, 20, appeared Sunday morning in court for a reading of the charges, which includes multiple counts of first-degree murder. In court recordings obtained by Arizona’s Family, Byers said his name and date of birth, as is standard protocol during an initial hearing, but otherwise was noticeably incoherent as he screamed and made various noises while court officials spoke.
Arresting documents detail his hatred for drugs and homelessness, possibly fueling a shooting spree that spanned southeast Phoenix and a neighborhood in Mesa. Court paperwork said that Byers shot one suspect because he didn’t like fentanyl and because his brother also abused the drug. In another instance, Byers talked about using “blues,” a street name for fentanyl pills, so he shot that man in the head and took off. Once in police custody, Byers allegedly told detectives he didn’t call 911 or help the victims because they “didn’t deserve it.” In total, four people were shot to death and one was seriously wounded.
The victims who were killed have been identified as:
- Nicholas Arnstad, 41
- Julian Cox, 41
- John Swain, 40
- Stephen Young, 41
Angela Fonseca, 36, survived being shot in the face but her current condition is unknown. “We are saddened for the families of these [sic] victims. Knowing that Iren Byers will have to face the consequences of his unjustified actions is the start of justice to be seen,” Mesa Police Det. Brandi George said in a statement.
Byers is being held without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday.
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