A man who witnessed a robbery and tried to "be a hero" was arrested by police after pointing and firing a firearm at the suspects.
According to court paperwork, back in March 25-year-old John Haag was at a Walgreens near Dobson and Warner roads in Chandler when he witnessed someone run from the store. Haag asked the employees if they had just been robbed and they said they had been.
That's when Haag ran from the store, got in a vehicle and located the suspects inside a U-Haul cargo van. In video that was shared with ABC15, a man pulled up to the U-Haul and fired a gun once. Paperwork said that Haag went up to the passenger side of the U-Haul, pointed his firearm and discharged it. The U-Haul was not struck. Haag then drove away.
Officials said a misdemeanor shoplifting had occurred at the Walgreens, and "this crime would not justify the level of forced" used by Haag, according to paperwork.
Haag later on that day posted on his Facebook page that he had "just witnessed a robbery at Walgreens again, this time, I had my gun...true story."
Haag was taken into custody by police two months after the shooting. He told police he followed the U-Haul from the Walgreens store wanting to "be a hero." He told police he fired one shot at the front tire of the U-Haul van, and called his own actions "stupid."
“I feel I had good intentions. I meant the best. I meant to disable the vehicle," said Haag.
And while he admits he might have taken it too far, he feels people don’t step up enough.
“Most people are scared. Tons of people nowadays are in fear of what will happen to them and that’s not cool. That’s why we have more crime,“ said Haag.
He was facing charges of aggravated assault, drive-by shooting and unlawful discharge of a firearm.
