Suspect charged with murder after unsheltered man shot at Tempe park dies

PHOENIX – The man suspected of shooting at three unsheltered people in Tempe last week has been charged with first-degree murder after one of the victims died, authorities said.

Randolph Fraser, 56, was in Mitchell Park with two other unsheltered people when 37-year-old Aaron Sussex opened fire on the group, according to the Tempe Police Department.

The shooting was a targeted attack at an individual, police said. Fraser and another one of the victims were critically injured and brought to a hospital for treatment. The third victim, a 26-year-old, sustained a graze wound but was not hospitalized, according to police.

Fraser died of his injuries over the weekend, police said.

The shooting occurred at Mitchell Park, which is located just south of University Drive between Priest Drive and Mill Avenue, police said.

Authorities upgraded Sussex’s one count of attempted murder to one count of first-degree murder. The other charges he’s facing are:

• One count of aggravated assault with a firearm.
• One count of aggravated assault that caused serious physical injury.
• Two counts of endangerment.
• One count of misconduct involving weapons.

Sussex is being held on a cash-only $1 million bond, according to a Tuesday news release from Tempe Police.

No other details were immediately available.

This is an updated version of a story originally published on Feb. 13, 2025.

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