Convicted felon accused of carjacking, shooting at West Valley shopping center
Authorities previously said that they believed the crime was random and that the two men didn't know each other.
By KTVK/KPHO Staff
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GLENDALE, Arizona (KTVK, KPHO) — Federal authorities have released the name of the suspect who reportedly carjacked and shot a man outside a West Valley shopping center. It happened on Aug. 8 at the Peoria Crossing shopping center at 91st and Northern avenues near the Loop 101.
According to a release by the Department of Justice, 19-year-old Adonijah Josiah Ortega entered the parking lot of the Target around 11:30 a.m. when he approached the victim while pointing a handgun. At that point, Ortega allegedly demanded the keys to the man’s car and his wallet. While it was originally reported that he was shot in the leg, the feds say he shot him multiple times to the head. Ortega then took off. The victim was taken to the local hospital with a gunshot wound and multiple cuts to his head. An updated status on the victim’s condition was not released.
Authorities previously said that they believed the crime was random and that the two men didn’t know each other.
Phoenix police found the stolen SUV the next day in a neighborhood on Dunlap north of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. Video from the scene showed that the driver’s side front tire was flat, and there was no one inside. And on Friday, Ortega was charged with carjacking and a weapons charge in addition to possession of a firearm by a felon.
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