MESA, AZ — Police are investigating a shooting that left a teenager dead in Mesa.
Just before 2 a.m. Sunday, police were called to a neighborhood near Gilbert Road and University Drive for reports of a shooting.
Police say they arrived at the scene and found a person dead inside a home.
The victim has been identified as 18-year-old Jeremiah Aviles, who was a student-athlete just weeks away from graduation.
On Thursday, Mesa police announced that 18-year-old Peter (PJ) Clabron III was arrested in connection to the shooting.
Police say just before 2 a.m. on May 7, Clabron was at his residence, inside his bedroom, with Aviles and a witness when the shots were fired at Aviles.
Officers obtained initial statements from Clabron and the witness about what happened, but later learned the information was not accurate and attempted to point blame at another person who was not present at the time of the shooting, according to officials.
Police say the witness eventually told the truth about what actually happened.
After authorities issued a search warrant, officers obtained a video allegedly showing Clabron, prior to the shooting, pointing a gun several times at Aviles.
Investigators say witnesses also reported seeing Clabron firing a handgun into the air from the back of a truck traveling through his neighborhood hours before the shooting.
Clabron has been booked into jail and is facing charges for manslaughter, and unlawful discharge of a firearm.
