Security Guard Arrested in Mass Shooting 1 Dead-12 Injured
SURPRISE, Ariz. June 20, 2021— Police have arrested a security guard for a mass shooting that has left one dead and 12 injured.
Ashin Tricarico, 19, allegedly began the rampage on Wednesday evening because he believed people were after him, officials said Friday.
Tricarico had reported earlier that while working, he saw people following him and thought that they were going to kill him.
Police said Tricarico, of Surprise, was booked into the Maricopa County Jail at 8:45 a.m. on Friday and was charged with first-degree murder, multiple counts of aggravated assault, multiple counts of drive-by shooting and endangerment.
His bond was set at $1 million and, if posted, Tricarico can be released under court-given restrictions.
In interviews with Tricarico, police said he told them he believed people were following him around for about a week.
Tricarico, was employed as a security guard, and had been involved in a Phoenix shooting one month ago and said that he thought every vehicle and person he drove past was pointing a gun at him, police said.
According to search warrants, Tricarico was working security at a restaurant near Dunlap and I-17 on May 5. He was accused of shooting a drunk customer in the abdomen who was asked to leave. Police said Tricarico claimed he shot in self-defense.
Phoenix Police said that person was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. Police are still investigating the incident as an aggravated assault case.
Police said Tricarico admitted to two of the eight shooting incidents. When asked about the one victim who died, officers said Tricarico did not want to talk anymore.
The victim, who officers found in a red Toyota pickup truck in a canal on Loop 101, had a gunshot wound in the left side of his neck, police said.
That victim has been identified by police as a 56-year-old man.
According to witness statements and police reports, Tricarico allegedly hit the following locations:
Circle K on 9476 W. Olive Avenue in Peoria at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday
Police said Tricarico saw a man laughing on the phone, told him, “You think you’re bad,” then pointed an assault rifle at him twice.
103rd and Northern avenues in Glendale at 11:09 a.m. Thursday
Police said Tricarico allegedly shot at a woman in a black Kia Optima with her 3-year-old daughter in the back seat. The woman was injured by shrapnel fragments but the child was not hurt.
He was also involved in a shooting at Northbound Loop 101 and Thunderbird Road at 11:27 a.m.
Witnesses told police they saw a white Volkswagen get behind the red pickup truck, swerve around to the side of the truck then they heard a loud pop.
Another shooting occurred at 110th Avenue and Union Hills Road in Peoria at 11:39 a.m.
An officer on an unrelated call saw the Volkswagen driving by then saw an uninjured woman in a red Chrysler 300 with a shattered back window, officials said.
A man and his adult daughter in a black Chevrolet Impala were also shot at. The daughter was shot in the leg and the man was injured by shrapnel fragments and were both released from the hospital, police said.
Bell Road between 107th Avenue and 115th Avenue was the scene of another shooting at at 11:45 a.m.
Police said a man was walking on the sidewalk when he was shot at from the white Volkswagen. The man pulled out his own handgun and shot back but was not hurt.
Another man in a white truck was shot at from the Volkswagen and was bleeding heavily after being hit in the head with shrapnel.
Police also responded to a shooting at 21800 North El Mirage Road at 11:52 a.m.
Police said three people were shot at while driving in a red Toyota Sienna van.
Loop 303 and Happy Valley Road at 12 p.m was also the scene of another shooting.
Police said three people were in a red van when an SUV pulled up and they heard three to five gunshots.
Officials said the front and back windows on the driver’s side were shattered and two people were injured from the shrapnel.
