Raul Franco has been sentenced to eight years and 10 months in prison for the March 2022 shooting at the Tanger Outlets in Glendale that sent four people, including a 4-year-old, to a hospital.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced the sentencing of the 19-year-old, saying “not only did this defendant’s actions harm innocent people, he also caused panic and fear for hundreds who were simply out shopping that day.”

Franco shot at a group after a confrontation at the mall. When he initiated gunfire, the group fired back, leaving four people – including three children – shot and hospitalized. The youngest victim included a 4-year-old “who to this day, suffers from injuries sustained during the shooting,” according to a release from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

“The irreparable damage left behind cannot be erased,” Mitchell said. “It is my is hope that this sentencing brings closure to those who will never forget that day.”

The sentencing stems from two cases: one by MCAO prosecutors and the other by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the release stated.

In the MCAO matter, Franco pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and two counts of endangerment.

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