The Latest: Police confirm 11th vehicle shooting in Phoenix


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PHOENIX (AP) — The latest developments on a series of freeway shootings in the Phoenix area (all times local):

4:25 p.m.

Arizona's governor is asking residents to be vigilant in the wake of an increasing number of freeway shootings in Phoenix.

Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday the state is fully committed to apprehending whoever is behind the string of random incidents that have put Phoenix on edge for the last two weeks.

Ducey is urging people to stay alert and share any information with the state Department of Public Safety.

Authorities have confirmed 11 vehicles have been shot at in the Phoenix area, with most of them occurring on freeways.

The most recent incident occurred Thursday morning when authorities found a bullet hole in a commercial truck.

4:07 p.m.

Authorities in Arizona so far have eliminated one of five incidents reported Thursday as being connected to a string of random freeway shootings in Phoenix.

Since 6 a.m., the Arizona Department of Public Safety has received reports of five vehicles possibly hit by bullets or projectiles.

DPS spokesman Bart Graves says one in which a driver reported a cracked window while driving on Interstate 10 is not related to the shooting spree.

He says investigators are still trying to determine whether two other vehicles, including an armored truck, were struck by something Thursday.

Authorities confirm that 11 vehicles have been shot at in the Phoenix area in the last two weeks, putting residents on edge.

3:31 p.m.

A suburban Phoenix school district is rerouting buses away from the scene of a possible freeway shooting.

The Paradise Valley Unified School District, which encompasses schools in Phoenix and nearby Scottsdale, informed parents Thursday afternoon that school buses would be avoiding the area of State Route 51 and Shea Boulevard in north Phoenix as a precaution.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is investigating whether a vehicle in that area sustained damage from a bullet or some sort of projectile.

Phoenix police say there is no immediate threat to schools in the area.

Authorities confirm that 11 vehicles have been shot at in the Phoenix area, most occurring on freeways in a string of incidents that have put residents on edge.

12:28 p.m.

Arizona authorities confirm that 11 vehicles have been shot at in the Phoenix area, most occurring on freeways in a string of incidents that have put residents on edge.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Raul Garcia says the latest shooting involved a commercial truck. Its driver on Thursday reported finding a bullet hole in the cargo area after hours of making deliveries.

DPS previously listed 10 other incidents involving vehicles on freeways getting hit with gunfire or other projectiles in the last two weeks. There have been no serious injuries, but the shootings have left the city on edge and some drivers searching for alternate routes.

Investigators also are examining a tractor-trailer near Interstate 10. Garcia says it hasn't been determined whether the vehicle was shot at. A car window was damaged in a third incident Thursday, but Garcia says it doesn't appear it was a shooting.

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11:45 a.m.

Arizona transportation officials say there have been no significant changes in traffic on Phoenix freeways after a string of possible shootings has rattled residents.

State Department of Transportation spokesman Garin Groff said Thursday that a traffic operations center did not find any drop cars traveling on highways.

A string of incidents involving vehicles getting hit with gunfire or other projectiles in the last two weeks has left the city on edge and some drivers searching for alternate routes.

There have been 10 previous freeway shooting incidents through Wednesday, mostly on I-10 in central or west Phoenix. There have been no serious injuries.

State police also are trying to confirm another possible freeway shooting Thursday morning.

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10 a.m.

State police in Arizona are investigating a suspected bullet hole in the side of a commercial truck in the Phoenix area, the third report of a possible freeway shooting to come Thursday morning.

The reports are the latest in a string of such incidents that has the metro area on edge and drivers searching for alternate routes.

The shootings have largely centered around I-10, a main thoroughfare through Phoenix.

News video showed investigators examining what appeared to be a small hole in truck's cargo area. That happened near Interstate 10 on the western edge of a stretch of freeway where many of the shootings have taken place.

Earlier Thursday morning, several miles east on I-10, a car's rear window was damaged by what DPS describes as a projectile. Police were unable to verify a separate report of a gunshot.

There have been 10 previous freeway shooting incidents through Wednesday, mostly on I-10 in central or west Phoenix. There have been no serious injuries.

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7:30 a.m.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety says seven of the 10 recent shooting incidents on Phoenix-area freeways involved bullets, while the rest involved unspecified "projectiles."

A list released by DPS indicates the 10 vehicles struck through Wednesday included three pickups, three passenger cars, two box trucks, an SUV and a commercial tour bus with no passengers aboard.

The DPS also says eight of 10 shootings through Wednesday occurred on Interstate 10 in central or west Phoenix, while two other freeways accounted for one incident each.

DPS is investigating two new incidents Thursday, including a vehicle struck by a projectile and a reported gunshot.

The DPS had previously not released such details on all 10 incidents.

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7 a.m.

Authorities in Arizona are investigating two new possible shootings on Phoenix-area freeways.

The state Department of Public Safety says one incident involves a vehicle window damaged on Interstate 10 Thursday morning after it was hit by a "projectile."

The DPS says there's a separate report of a gunshot being fired along I-10 several miles to the east. Trooper Tim Case says there is no damage reported in that incident, and no injuries in either incident.

Thursday's reports follow 10 previous shootings in which the DPS says bullets or projectiles hit vehicles in recent weeks. All but two were on I-10.

DPS says seven of the 10 incidents involved bullets and the others involved unspecified projectiles.

No serious injuries have been reported

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6:30 a.m.

Authorities in Arizona are checking out another possible shooting on a Phoenix-area freeway.

The state Department of Public Safety says officers are responding to a report of a damaged window on a vehicle that was traveling on Interstate 10 Thursday morning.

Trooper Tim Case says a "projectile" hit the window but no shooting has been confirmed.

Video shown by KNXV-TV showed an intact rear window with a visible indention.

This follows 10 shooting incidents in which the DPS says either bullets or projectiles hit vehicles in the past two weeks. All but two were on I-10.

DPS says seven of the 10 shooting incidents involved bullets and the other three were unspecified projectiles.

No serious injuries have been reported.

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This story has been corrected to show that Paradise Valley School District includes schools in Phoenix and Scottsdale.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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