INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA
Peoria Police are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred at a local business in the 9600 block of west Peoria Avenue.
Peoria Police officers were dispatched to a disorderly conduct call for service at the business 11:30 p.m., May 20.
The initial call originated from an employee requesting assistance with a person who refused to leave the premises after being asked multiple times due to his level of intoxication. The person was later identified as Mario Franco, a 46-year-old male from El Mirage.
Franco eventually left the business, went to his car and retrieved a handgun. Franco shot his handgun multiple times into the air and then additional rounds into the occupied business, police said in a release.
While officers were en route, an additional 911 call came in regarding a victim who had been shot inside the business. The victim was struck in the thigh area and said the shots fired came from the parking lot, police said.
Two men who were outside the business witnessed the shooting, police said.
Franco pointed his handgun toward the men and exchanged gunshots. One of the men fired his gun toward Franco, hitting him in the chest. The two men were not injured, police said.
Once officers arrived, they found the two men in the parking lot with their handguns drawn toward Franco who was inside the front passenger side of his black 2020 BMW 330I.
The men complied with officers’ commands and were disarmed and detained. Officers rendered aid to Franco inside the BMW until Peoria Fire-Medical responded to the scene. Lifesaving measures were performed, but were unsuccessful. Franco died on scene, police said.
The victim who was shot inside the business was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and later released.
This is still an active investigation. At this time, no arrests have been made, and this appears to be an isolated incident, police said.