3 arrested after house tied to human smuggling in El Mirage was targeted
Jan 31, 2023, 4:25 AM
(El Mirage Police Department Photos)
(El Mirage Police Department Photos)
PHOENIX — Three people were arrested and a man is dead after a home tied to a human smuggling operation in El Mirage was targeted on Saturday, authorities said.
The man, who has not yet been identified, arrived at the residence around 5 p.m. near Thunderbird and El Mirage roads with three others carrying rudimentary weapons, the El Mirage Police Department said in a press release.
After he was shot and killed, the three others ran from the residence and haven’t been seen since.
The Department of Public Safety and police said three occupants, including a 16-year-old, were arrested.
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The teenager is being charged with second-degree murder and assault, while all three face numerous other charges, including unlawful imprisonment, participation in human smuggling and illegal control of an enterprise.
Authorities also found four uninjured victims smuggled into the United States from Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador all being held against their will.
The El Mirage Police Department provided assistance to the four migrants.
An investigation remains ongoing into the relationship between the occupants of the residence and the four victims.
