An adult man remained hospitalized in critical condition as police investigated arrests, gunfire and a reported party near Old Town.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A man was critically wounded by Scottsdale police early Wednesday after officers investigating gunfire at a Circle K were drawn into related scenes near Old Town, where several people were arrested, police said.
The shooting unfolded during a fast-moving investigation that began around 2 a.m. May 6 near Camelback and Miller roads. Scottsdale police said officers first found evidence that multiple rounds had struck the convenience store. About 30 minutes later, more gunfire was reported east of the first scene, sending officers and detectives into nearby residential areas. By late Wednesday, police had not released the wounded man’s name, the names of those arrested or the charges they could face.
Police said the first calls came from the Circle K at Camelback and Miller roads, a busy area near Old Town Scottsdale. Officers arrived and found that several bullets had hit the business. As they were still gathering evidence and speaking with people at the store, another report of gunfire came from a nearby apartment complex. Scottsdale police Sgt. Allison Sempsis said officers moved toward that second scene while residents called 911 about people running through yards. “We know this is a scary and stressful time for the community,” Sempsis said as investigators worked across the area.
The search widened after police received a call from a resident near 4600 N. 76th St. who reported that multiple people had jumped a fence and were running through her yard. Detectives saw a man running away, police said. When they tried to contact him, police said the man reached toward his waistband and an officer fired. The man was hit, then jumped another fence into a neighboring yard, where he was taken into custody. Police said detectives gave lifesaving aid until paramedics arrived. The man was taken to a hospital with critical injuries, and police said a handgun was found at the scene.
No officers or other community members were reported hurt in the officer-involved shooting or the related gunfire calls. Police said investigators were processing at least three connected scenes: the Circle K, a nearby residential area and the Maya Condominium complex east of the store. Local residents described waking to sirens, floodlights and officers moving through backyards. One witness said she had just left the gas station when she heard a group yelling and then gunfire. “I had to literally get down on the ground because I heard gunshots,” the witness said.
Police have not said what led to the first shots at the Circle K or whether the same gun was tied to each scene. Investigators also have not said whether anyone was inside the store when bullets hit the building. Sempsis said detectives were interviewing witnesses and people believed to be involved. She said police had “multiple people under arrest” as the investigation continued. Officers also looked at whether the violence stemmed from a party in the area, but police had not released a full account of how the people at the three scenes knew one another.
The response brought a large police presence to a mix of businesses, apartments and homes just east of Old Town Scottsdale. Roads around Camelback and Miller were closed for hours while patrol officers, detectives and tactical units secured the area. Neighbors reported seeing people detained, and video from the scene showed heavy law enforcement activity near residential buildings. Police said one person appeared to have been taken away by ambulance before sunrise, and another person was taken into custody in a nearby complex. Authorities did not say how those detentions related to the wounded man.
The Mesa Police Department will conduct an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting under East Valley Critical Incident Response Team protocol. Scottsdale police will continue investigating the original gunfire calls and related arrests. The department’s Internal Affairs unit also will conduct an administrative review of the use of force to determine whether the officer followed policy. Scottsdale police said the employee involved in the shooting was placed on temporary post-critical incident leave and offered peer support resources, which the department described as standard after such incidents.
The case adds to a year in which officer-involved shootings have drawn close review across Maricopa County. Scottsdale police did not say when body-camera video, 911 audio or additional reports could be released. The department listed the case under report number 2609240. Investigators were still working to identify everyone involved, determine who fired shots at the store and apartment complex, and decide which cases will be sent to prosecutors.
As of Wednesday evening, the wounded man remained hospitalized in critical condition. Police said more information on arrests, possible charges and the sequence of events would depend on witness interviews, evidence from the three scenes and the independent review by Mesa police.
Author note: Last updated May 6, 2026.