PHOENIX, AZ – Tragedy struck during a jazz festival in north Phoenix over the weekend as a man from the Chicago area lost his life in a shooting incident. The incident occurred around 10:20 p.m. on October 22 in the vicinity of 56th Street and Deer Valley Drive, where authorities discovered a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite being rushed to a local hospital, the victim, identified as 31-year-old Abashe Mathis, could not survive his injuries and was pronounced dead. This was confirmed in a statement released by the Phoenix Police on the morning of October 23. Court records revealed that Mathis had ties to the Chicago area.
Local residents expressed shock at the violence occurring in their neighborhood. Lori Landis, a nearby resident, said, “It was a shock to see it in this neighborhood, for sure.” Veronica Riley, who attended the Arizona Jazz Festival, described a chaotic scene for those who had parked near the shooting location. Many festivalgoers found themselves unable to access their vehicles, causing inconvenience for those who needed rental cars for flights.
Investigations continued throughout the night and into the morning, with law enforcement collecting shell casings and other evidence from the festival’s parking lot. Witnesses reported that Mathis was walking with a woman in the parking lot when he became the target of what appeared to be a drive-by shooting. Witnesses described the incident as a conflict between separate parties, and some emphasized that it did not reflect negatively on the area.
An ongoing investigation seeks to unravel the circumstances surrounding the tragic shooting. Authorities urge anyone with information to provide anonymous tips to the authorities.