Arizona Graduation Party Shooting Leaves 2 Dead, 4 Wounded

MESA, Ariz. — Two people were killed and six others _ two of them children _ were wounded in a shooting at a high school graduation party, police said Sunday.

Brent Matthew Banks, 37, was arrested after a four-hour standoff with police at a house in Mesa, east of Phoenix, Mesa Police Sgt. Ed Wessing said.

Preliminary information indicated that Banks was an invited guest at the party who got into a physical fight with his ex-wife late Saturday, Wessing said.

He allegedly went to his vehicle, got a gun, returned to the party and opened fire, killing his 38-year-old ex-wife and a 32-year-old man, Wessing said.

He said six others suffered minor injuries. They included a 10-year-old boy who was grazed on the head and an 8-year-old boy injured by bullet fragments.

Wessing said that when police arrived patrol cars were hit by gunfire and one officer was shot in the left arm. The officer's injuries weren't life-threatening and no other officers were hit.

Banks has not yet retained an attorney.

Comments

[Burner]

I love guns! Happy Graduation!!!

[whatthel]

The perfect lethal cocktail: Alcohol with just a dash of handguns.

[Wilburrr]

was only one gun involved? Sounds like maybe more... Graduation is supposed to be a beginning, not an end.

[blastocyst]

Why's this news?
Every gathering of young people today involves the ritual of cap-busting in @ss or @sses.

[cdnnewsjunky]

37 years old! You must be getting a little "long in the tooth", if you consider that young.

[blastocyst]

Apparently it keeps one young.

[TheLearnedEnglishDog]

You blame blacks for gun violence? What a clever boy you are

[blastocyst]

I didn't state that it was synonymous with any particular grouping save the kiddies.

You did.

[kustom]

Just in from ch13 Toledo

05/24/2009 -- Police have responded to a shooting on Allendale Ave. Three victims.

Police are on the scene of a shooting at the 1900 block of Allendale.

We are hearing that there are three victims in this shooting and there is no word yet on the severity of those injuries. The victims have been taken to the hospital.

Reports are that when police arrive the suspect started shooting at them and the shooter had hostages. Police have told 13abc that the suspect was shot and killed by the police.

We have a crew on the scene and they are telling us that police have carried children out of a home. No word if those children were involved.

Police are investigating the reason for this shooting and are going house to house looking for any other possible victims.

[robXdion]

This had to be a parent or just one sad man with Peter Pan syndrome. And whatever happened to fighting? Either he got humiliated badly by a woman or a larger man and just couldn't cope.

[freeenterprisechic]

This is really sad. Those who feel no empathy for the families and the victims need to reconnect with humanity. Cheryl Mikela

[munki]

Where in the world America is heading?

[cdnnewsjunky]

Wherever it's heading it's been heading there for some time. Just seems to be heading there faster nowadays.

[chicagomike]

Does "down the drain" ring a bell?

Obama or not, it may be too late for us all.

[gifu]

It is not that simple,DSOTM. There have always been people with a screw loose from the earliest days of mankind. You could use your Sunday newspaper as a lethal weapon if you know how to use it in such a fashion. Guns are just guns---it is the human part of the equation that is lethal....­.so kill us all?

[timetorevolt]

anybody ever call you a simpleton? you deserve worst but i'll stick to the most polite

[AKAM80THEWOLF]

Yeah because a crazy guy with a newspaper is just as dangerous if not more dangerous than a crazy guy with a gun right? PLEASE.

Guns make it INFINITELY EASIER to kill and maim.

I'm sure glad that guy was able to run back to his car and grab a gun and protect himself by killing other people. WHEW.

[arkansawtravler]

The difference is that "before" guns were not as available as M&Ms. Guns and gun possession have now achieved a common "culture" within our society. Their possession and use are perpetuated by the media, law, businesses, politicians and fringe elements who fear any legal restriction however well intentioned the restriction. Get used to it, and make damm sure you know who you invite to your party.

[PavePusher]

Your very first sentance proves your ignorance/­mendacity. Guns are more difficult to buy now than at any time in our history. There are numerous legal qualifications, and they are more expensive than they have ever been.

You do your political bias no favors by being so uninformed.

[MajorKong]

True. But guns sure make it easy and efficient. They let you kill quickly and repeatedly from a distance. There's a reason you don't see too many drive-by knifings.

[kareemachan]

or newspaper-ings.

[hark]

Yeah, I can see that. Read a William Kristol column or an editorial from the Wall Street Journal at them and watch them all keel over.

Who needs and Ak-47 when you can do that to innocent people?

[kustom]

Country is getting more and more like the middle east, another ten years and everybody will be authorized to carry an AK-47. Don't like your neighbor just shoot him.