Police said the suspect left for a nearby church before returning to the neighborhood.
BUCKEYE, AZ — A man in his 50s was shot and killed Sunday morning in a downtown Buckeye neighborhood, and his cousin was arrested after returning to the area from a nearby church, police said.
Buckeye police said the shooting happened near 3rd Street and Centre Avenue, where officers found the victim lying in a yard with a gunshot wound. The case moved from an active response to a homicide investigation by Sunday evening, with detectives interviewing witnesses and questioning the suspect about what led to the gunfire.
Officers were called to the neighborhood at about 10:45 a.m. Sunday after reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found the wounded man outside and began life-saving care. Police said officers applied a chest seal to try to stop the bleeding before Buckeye Fire took over medical treatment. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not release his name Sunday. Investigators said the suspect, also a man in his 50s, is the victim’s cousin. Buckeye police said the suspect had gone to a church down the street after the shooting and then left. He later returned to the area, where officers detained him.
Police said early information pointed to an argument at the home before shots were fired. Neighbors reported hearing gunfire, and investigators said some people saw or heard parts of what happened. Carissa Planalp with the Buckeye Police Department said there was no ongoing threat to the community. “There are folks who heard and witnessed parts of this incident and investigators are speaking with them to gather all the information,” Planalp said. Police have not said what the argument was about, whether a gun was recovered or how many shots were fired. They also have not released the exact address where the shooting happened.
The shooting took place in an older part of Buckeye, a fast-growing West Valley city west of Phoenix. The area around 3rd Street and Centre Avenue includes homes, local streets and nearby community sites. Police described the scene as a downtown neighborhood and said the church the suspect went to was down the street from where the victim was found. By Sunday afternoon, officers had shifted from emergency response to evidence collection, witness interviews and suspect questioning. Photos from the scene showed a police presence in the neighborhood after the shooting.
The suspect had not been publicly identified as of Sunday evening. Police first said he was being questioned about his involvement, then later said he had been arrested on homicide charges. Formal charging decisions were expected to move through Maricopa County court procedures after police complete booking and submit reports to prosecutors. Investigators still must determine the full timeline, the cause of the dispute and what evidence supports the case. The victim’s identity was expected to be released after notification of relatives.
The case drew attention because police said the suspect left the scene area for a nearby church before returning. Officers did not say whether he spoke with anyone at the church or whether the church was connected to the dispute. The victim died in the yard despite efforts by police and firefighters to save him. Investigators continued speaking with people in the neighborhood Sunday, looking for a fuller account of the moments before and after the shooting. Police said the family relationship between the men is part of the investigation, but they did not describe any prior calls or earlier disputes involving them.
The investigation remained open Monday. Police had not released the victim’s name, the suspect’s name or a first court date, and detectives were still gathering statements and evidence from the downtown Buckeye scene.
Author note: Last updated June 22, 2026.