Police say the late-evening gunfire in Maryvale appears tied to a robbery, and detectives are still searching for those responsible.
PHOENIX, AZ — A man died and a woman was critically injured after a shooting Tuesday evening at an apartment complex in west Phoenix’s Maryvale neighborhood, police said. Officers were called around 7 p.m. to the area near 69th Avenue and Clarendon Avenue, where both victims were found with gunshot wounds and taken to a hospital.
Authorities say the case is in its early stages, and investigators are working to piece together what led to the gunfire. Phoenix police said preliminary information indicates the shooting stemmed from a robbery at the complex south of Indian School Road. No arrests were announced as of Wednesday morning, and detectives were processing the scene, canvassing nearby units and reviewing security footage. The woman remained hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The man, who was also transported in critical condition, later died, according to police at the scene. Officials have not released the names or ages of the victims pending family notification.
Officers first responded to 911 calls reporting shots fired just after 7 p.m. Tuesday. When they arrived, they found an adult man and an adult woman with gunshot wounds on the property and began first aid before fire crews took over medical care, police said. “The victims have been identified as an adult male and an adult female, and both are being treated at a local hospital with serious life-threatening injuries,” Sgt. Brian Bower said in a brief statement after the initial response. Later Tuesday night, police at the scene confirmed the man had died from his injuries. Detectives kept the complex entrance taped off while crime scene technicians photographed evidence, marked casings and interviewed potential witnesses from surrounding buildings.
Investigators said early indications point to a robbery connected to the shooting, though it was not immediately clear what was taken or how the confrontation began. Police did not say whether the victims and the assailant or assailants knew each other. No suspect descriptions were made public as of early Wednesday, and officers had not identified or interviewed any suspects. The shooting happened in a densely populated section of Maryvale lined with multifamily residences and small courtyards; several nearby streets remained closed for hours as detectives worked. Officials said they were checking whether cameras on the property or at neighboring businesses captured the moments before or after the gunfire. The woman’s condition remained critical overnight, police said.
Maryvale, a large west Phoenix neighborhood that stretches across avenues west of 51st Avenue, has a mix of older apartment complexes and newer infill housing. Police have responded to several major violent-crime calls in the area this year, and detectives frequently rely on surveillance footage from complexes near Indian School Road, Bethany Home Road and Camelback Road to track movements in serious cases. In Tuesday’s shooting, the complex sits just south of Indian School Road, with alleyway access that investigators examined with flashlights and evidence markers late into the night. Residents said the area is typically busy at that hour with people returning from work and children moving between buildings for evening activities.
Police said the homicide unit took over the case after the man’s death was confirmed at the hospital late Tuesday. Detectives planned to collect hospital updates, request any available video from property managers and conduct a broader canvass for additional witnesses on Wednesday. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will review the case once detectives identify a suspect or suspects and forward reports for charging. Officials have not released a timeline for when more information, such as victim identities or a possible suspect description, will be available. An autopsy by the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner is expected to determine the man’s official cause and manner of death.
As evidence technicians worked, patrol units blocked vehicle entrances with light bars on, and investigators moved through breezeways and stairwells collecting items into paper bags. Residents arriving home were redirected to side lots while detectives photographed doorways and railings along the courtyard. A maintenance worker provided access to utility rooms at the request of officers. Parents guided children back indoors as investigators continued interviews; some residents watched from balconies as the scene unfolded well into the night. Police said the apartment where the victims were found will remain secured while search warrants are processed and executed.
As of early Wednesday, the case remained open with no arrests announced. Detectives planned additional interviews during daylight hours and would seek further video and electronic records to clarify the sequence of events around 7 p.m. Tuesday. Police said updates will be released when significant developments occur, including the woman’s condition and any suspect information. The next milestone is a Wednesday afternoon briefing if investigators confirm new details from overnight work.
Author note: Last updated December 17, 2025.