5-year-old killed, two others injured in Arizona drive-by shooting involving a car with 6 juveniles inside

By Melissa Alonso and Zoe Sottile, CNN

A five-year-old was killed and two other juveniles were hurt after a drive-by shooting in Tempe, Arizona, late Friday night, according to Tempe police.

“The death of that five-year-old is a tragedy and our deepest condolences go out to that family,” said Byron Thomas, spokesperson for the Tempe Police Department, at a briefing Saturday.

Officers were called to a shooting that occurred at around 11:45 p.m., he said. When officers arrived, they learned that a vehicle carrying one adult and six juveniles “was driving eastbound near 48th Street and Broadway Road when a suspect vehicle pulled up alongside it,” said the spokesperson.

“That suspect vehicle then began shooting at that victim vehicle, striking multiple juveniles,” said Thomas. The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived.

First responders transported three children between the ages of 5 and 17 to the hospital. The 5-year-old victim was ultimately pronounced dead, said Thomas.

The other two juveniles are in critical condition but are expected to survive their injuries, he went on.

The adult male driving the vehicle was unharmed. It is unclear whether the adult is related to the juveniles.

Thomas said the shooting appears to be an isolated incident, but “at this time, we don’t really have any information as to what caused it.”

Anyone with information on the shooting or suspect(s) is urged to call the Tempe Police Department. The intersection remains closed at this time as the investigation continues.

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