GLENDALE, AZ – Estimates portray a gruesome event unfolded in Glendale on Tuesday afternoon, where police took into custody a 14-year-old child implicated in the fatal shooting of his father, identified as 39-year-old Joshua Lee Goldman.
Police were called to a residence near 66th Avenue and Delmonico Lane shortly before 4 p.m., where they discovered the lifeless body of Goldman, who had multiple gunshot wounds. An interesting fact noted at the scene was that Goldman had a holstered handgun on his waistband when he was found.
Court documents reveal a complex family dynamic. Goldman’s daughter reported an argument with her father which prompted her brother to intervene, leading ultimately to the shooting. She admitted, however, that she did not witness the event directly. Goldman’s father, also present but residing in another room, similarly heard the altercation and following gunshots but saw nothing.
The 14-year-old accused along with a companion, subsequently escaped the crime scene. Surveillance footage confirmed they left the home, loaded with bags, and used Goldman’s Toyota Camry for their escape. Shockingly, in the recording, one is heard inquiring about the gun, to which the other confirms its possession.
Swift action was taken as the detectives positioned themselves on the possible escape routes. The escapees, seemingly on their way to Las Vegas, were spotted near Kingman at about 7 p.m. A high-speed chase ensued, with speeds reportedly reaching 130 mph, before a grappler device assisted in halting their car and subsequent arrest.
During an investigation, a 9mm handgun was retrieved from the car and the 14-year-old accused was found with a conspicuously empty holster at his waist. Though the identity of the minor remains withheld due to his age, he made a shocking revelation during an interview. Goldman’s son claimed that the aggressive father who had disappeared for a day returned home “visibly intoxicated” and initiated a disagreement with his sister, whereupon he used the gun in his possession defending her.
However, Goldman’s daughter provided a different account, verifying the argument but denying any physical assault by their father. Interestingly, she remarked on the usual armed status of her brother and father. A further contradiction arose with the testimony of the companion who, despite his involvement in the post-crime escape, denied witnessing Goldman reach for his gun as claimed by the young accused.
As investigations proceed, for now, the 14-year-old boy is being charged with second-degree murder and minor possession of a firearm. The situation around his companion’s potential charge remains unclear.