2015 Northern Arizona University shooting
Part of mass shootings in the United States and school shootings in the United States
LocationFlagstaff, Arizona, United States
DateOctober 9, 2015 (2015-10-09)
1:20 a.m. (MST (UTC−6))
TargetDelta Chi fraternity members at Northern Arizona University
Attack type
School shooting
Weapons.40-caliber Glock 22
Deaths1
Injured3
PerpetratorSteven Edward Jones

On October 9, 2015, Steven Edward Jones, an 18-year-old freshman at Northern Arizona University, shot four people, killing Colin Charles Brough and severely injuring three others, in a parking lot outside of Mountain View Hall on the Flagstaff Mountain campus in Flagstaff, Arizona.[1]

Jones was charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault. He pleaded not guilty, taking responsibility for the shooting but claiming that he acted in self-defense. After a 2017 mistrial,[2] Jones pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and three counts of aggravated assault before the retrial was scheduled to begin.[3] On February 11, 2020, Jones was sentenced to six years in prison.[4]

Shooting

At approximately 1:20 AM on the morning of Friday, October 9, 2015, in a parking lot near Mountain View Hall on the Flagstaff Mountain campus of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, 18-year-old freshman Steven Jones shot four 20-year-old juniors with a .40-caliber Glock 22, killing Colin Brough and severely injuring Nicholas Piring, Nicholas Prato, and Kyle Zientek.

The shooting occurred after a dispute occurred between a group of three pledges of the Sigma Chi fraternity, including Jones, and a group of three members of Delta Chi, including Brough. Jones testified that the Delta Chi members had assaulted him and threatened his life, though witnesses disputed his claim.

All four victims were intoxicated, while Jones had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the shooting.[5]

Perpetrator

Steven Edward Jones (born 1996 or 1997) was raised in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. He is the only child of Warren and Rose Anna Jones. Before college, he was homeschooled.[5]

Aftermath

Trial

Jones' trial began on April 5, 2017, at the Coconino County Superior Courthouse in Flagstaff, Arizona.[6] Thirty-eight witnessess, all three surviving victims, and Jones himself testified.[7] The jury began deliberation on April 25, though they were unable to reach a verdict,[8] and a mistrial was declared on May 2.[9]

A retrial was originally scheduled for August 1, but five delays postponed it until February 2020.[10] In December 2017, prosecutors agreed to reduce the charge to second-degree murder, in part to avoid double jeopardy.[11] On January 9, 2020, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and three counts of aggravated assault, one month prior to the scheduled retrial. On February 11, he was sentenced to six years in prison. Jones is currently located at the Red Rock Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona.[12]

Nicholas Acevedo, one of the 38 witnesses in the original trial, died of suicide on March 4, 2018,[13] prior to the retrial's scheduled date.[14] His parents, Steve and Karen Acevedo, believed that the trial had contributed to his suicide.[15]

Civil suit

On June 30, 2017, a civil lawsuit for negligence was filed against Jones and his parents by Piring, Prato, and Brough's parents, Douglas and Claudia Brough.[16] The case was dismissed in January 2018, after the parties reached a confidential settlement.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Owings, Amy. "One dead, three injured in shooting on NAU Campus". JackCentral.org. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. ↑ Kiefer, Michael. "Mistrial declared in NAU murder trial as jury reaches impasse". AZCentral.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  3. ↑ Ryman, Anne. "Steven Jones pleads guilty in fatal shooting of student on NAU campus". AZCentral.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  4. ↑ Ryman, Anne. "Steven Jones sentenced to 6 years for 2015 NAU shooting". AZCentral.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  5. 1 2 Dooley, Sean. "Shooting outside of college party leaves 1 student dead, another facing murder charges, many questions about what happened". ABCNews.go.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  6. ↑ Sweetman, Conor. "Suspect in NAU campus shooting sees first day of trial". JackCentral.org. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. ↑ Coiner, Chandler. "Final victims in NAU shooting trial testify". JackCentral.org. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  8. ↑ Sweetman, Conor. "Mistrial in Steven Jones case, retrial scheduled for August 1". JackCentral.org. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  9. ↑ Coiner, Chandler. "Steven Jones trial: Judge calls a mistrial due to hung jury". JackCentral.org. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  10. ↑ Ryman, Anne. "It's been 2 years since the NAU shooting case went to trial. Why is it taking so long to retry?". AZCentral.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Prosecutors agree to reduce murder charge in NAU shooting". Fox10Phoenix.com. 13 December 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Arizona Inmate Database". 11 April 2014.
  13. ↑ "Living to Love Another Day – Stop Suicide!".
  14. ↑ "NAU shooting witness dies before retrial".
  15. ↑ "Mom of NAU witness hopes for graduation honor". May 2018.
  16. ↑ Buffon, Scott. "Victims Sue Over Arizona College Shooting". CourthouseNews.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Steven Jones settles civil case in NAU shooting". KTVB.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
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