In the early morning hours of February 8, 2023, the life of 25-year-old Juan Jaquez was cut short in a west valley shooting. Phoenix police officers were called to the scene near 68th Avenue and Berkeley Road just before 5:30 a.m., where they discovered Jaquez in the street, suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of the Phoenix Fire Department, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Homicide detectives investigating the incident learned that
Jaquez had been involved in a confrontation with another man outside of a residence. The altercation escalated, resulting in the fatal shooting. The suspect fled the area immediately after the incident.
Following an investigation, authorities identified 20-year-old Israel Antonio Velazquez as the suspect. Detectives were able to establish probable cause, and Velazquez was located and taken into custody. He was subsequently booked into jail on a murder charge. News reports later indicated that the confrontation allegedly began when Velazquez claimed he found Jaquez stealing from his truck.
