MESA, AZ — Police have made an arrest after a shooting left a husband and wife dead in Mesa.
Just before midnight on November 1, Mesa police officers were called to an apartment building for reports of a shooting near Power Road and Main Street.
Initially, police described it as an “extremely chaotic scene” with differing information from witnesses.
When officers arrived they located two victims with gunshot wounds underneath a staircase outside an apartment unit.
A man, identified as Ronnie Lazalde, was pronounced dead at the scene, and his wife, Natishia Lazalde, was taken to a hospital where she died, according to Mesa PD.
During an investigation, detectives learned suspect, Johnel Trinidad, and Natishia were inside an apartment unit when Natishia's son arrived. The son and Trinidad got into a verbal argument and all three stepped outside, where Ronnie (Natishia's husband) joined them.
At some point, police say Trinidad pulled out a weapon and fired at Ronnie and the son. Then, the son pulled out his own gun and fired back at Trinidad as he was running away.
Trinidad was taken to a hospital for a gunshot wound to the leg. He was treated and released into police custody.
Following the investigation, detectives found probable cause to charge Trinidad with two counts of manslaughter for the deaths of Ronnie and Natishia, Mesa police announced.
It's unclear if the son is facing any charges. His age was not released.
ABC15 spoke with neighbors who were there when it happened.
"I just heard a lot of gunshots right next to my window," said Cynthia Forker, a resident at the complex.
Forker says she witnessed the chaos to follow up close.
"I walked out my door, I could see the gun smoke," she said.
