A gathering at a Mesa, Arizona party took a tragic turn, resulting in the death of 31-year-old Stephanie White. On June 11, 2023, a dispute between two men escalated into fatal violence. The female victim was an unintended casualty of a conflict that had nothing to do with her.
The incident began just after midnight at a residence in the 5600 block of East Flossmoor when Charles Norice, 31, became involved in an altercation with another man.
Witnesses reported that the two men took their disagreement outside. Norice then retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and initially fired it into the air. His next shot, however, was directed at the man he had been arguing with. Instead of hitting his intended target, the bullet struck Stephanie White, who was standing behind the other individual.
Following the shooting, Norice reportedly went back inside the house and pointed the weapon at other partygoers. Stephanie White was rushed to a local hospital, but she ultimately succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead. Law enforcement, with the assistance of the Mesa Police Department's helicopter, located Charles Norice hiding behind some bushes in a nearby backyard. A gun was recovered in the vicinity.
Norice was taken into custody and subsequently booked on multiple charges, including one count of second-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and three counts of disorderly conduct.
