Man arrested after shooting at a north Phoenix bus stop leaves 2 dead

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — Phoenix police have arrested the suspect accused of shooting and killing a man and woman at a north Phoenix bus stop early Saturday morning.

Phoenix police were near 29th Avenue and Bell Road when they heard several gunshots around 3:15 a.m. When officers arrived at the scene, they found three people injured and 20-year-old Jermaine Smith running away. Police chased Smith and were able to detain him. A woman was taken to a nearby hospital, and 65-year-old Jerry Carter and 55-year-old Jessica Velasquez died at the scene.

Ana Campoy was among the neighbors who heard gunshots. “I heard seven shots fired. They were so loud. It made us feel unsafe,” she said. “It was scary, I felt it coming from by backyard.” Other neighbors are mourning for the families of the victims. “I feel horrible about it. I really do. Hopefully their families are at peace. I don’t know what to say. It’s terrible,” said Sam Ertebati.

Investigators say Smith was talking with the three victims when he pulled out a handgun and shot them. Campoy says she heard Smith yelling from the bus stop behind her home. “He was saying something hurt. I heard him, and it crushed my soul because I couldn’t help him,” she said. However, she says the gunfire made her uneasy. “I never went back to sleep. Why? Because it’s happening too close to us. It’s no longer only people talking about it or being reported on the news. We are now living through this everyday near our homes,” she said.

Other residents say shootings happen too often since the opening of a nearby gas station. “Nothing happened here. I remember people were walking. Kids were jumping and walking and playing here. Now, after that, everybody hides themselves,” said resident Mikhael Elkhoury.

Smith was booked on several charges, including murder. The investigation is ongoing.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.