PEORIA, AZ — Neighbors and friends are mourning the loss of David Liebler this week.
Peoria police identified the 67-year-old from Sun City as the lone person who passed away last Thursday, following a shooting spree that spanned the Northwest Valley, lasted nearly two hours, and injured 13 people, including children.
Liebler was found dead in his truck after police say he was shot in the neck by 19-year-oldAshin Tricarico. The father was just a mile and a half away from his Sun City home when he was shot.
"It’s super hard to even process how this could happen to a guy like that. In such a senseless, random act of violence," said Keith Howardton, who lived right next to Liebler for a few months of the year.
Liebler was a proud parent to a son, who also loved his mom.
"On Mother’s Day, he stopped and told us about his mom. He was so proud of her," said neighbor Laurie Anderson. "I saw his mom was here the other day [to collect things], so it was a sad day for her."
The tight community of Sun City is now in shock that a friendly, involved resident could be taken so senselessly.
The 19-year-old suspect told officers he believed he was being followed in connection to a shooting that he was involved in weeks earlier while working as a security guard.
"He was so close to home, of getting off the freeway and being here. He was just a nice kind man. Enjoyed golfing," said Anderson.
"He was just the greatest guy in the world. Never had an unkind word for anybody," said Howardton. "You can't ask for a better neighbor than that."
Liebler was known by neighbors for always waving and smiling on his way to his golf cart in the morning.
"It just blew us all away. You get used to seeing somebody all the time. Then boom just like that. It’s really sad," said Chris Venard, whose mother lives next door.
"We will miss him," said Anderson.
Relatives told ABC15 they were still too emotional to talk for this story, but neighbors wanted them to know what they thought of Dave.
"[Dave] would talk about his family. He had a son and had a niece who is getting married soon," said Howardton. "Dave was making a lot of really cool plans because COVID was over."
