Phoenix gas station spat between strangers turns deadly, 21-year-old arrested for murder

PHOENIX – A 22-year-old man is dead and a 21-year-old man is in jail facing murder charges after an argument between strangers escalated into a fatal shooting at a Phoenix gas station early Saturday morning.

What we know:

Phoenix police officers responded to multiple calls of a shooting near 16th Street and Thomas Road at about 2:30 a.m. on July 18. Initial reports indicated that two men were involved in a verbal dispute when one of them pulled out a gun and shot the other.

Upon arriving at the ARCO gas station, officers found the victim — Julio Angel Osife Diaz — suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Phoenix Fire personnel quickly transported Diaz to a local hospital, where he later died.

While officers were securing the scene, the 21-year-old man approached police and said he was involved in the altercation. He was immediately detained, and investigators successfully recovered the gun used in the shooting at the scene.

Dig deeper:

Detectives with the Phoenix Police Department’s Violent Crimes Bureau responded to take over the homicide investigation. According to detectives, witness statements and evidence revealed that the suspect approached Diaz at the business and confronted him. The argument quickly escalated before the suspect opened fire. Investigators confirmed that Diaz and the suspect did not know each other prior to the encounter.

The suspect has been booked into jail on second-degree murder charges.

What we don’t know:

Authorities have not named the suspect, and we don’t know why he allegedly confronted Diaz.

Map of the area where the homicide occurred: