Officials: Suspect in Casa Grande shootings dies of self-inflicted shot

A man suspected of shooting an offduty Casa Grande police officer and a civilian department employee Wednesday morning died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound a few hours later on Loop 202 in Mesa, officials said.

Police shut down the westbound lanes of Loop 202 between Loop 101and Dobson Road about 4 p.m., and numerous police vehicles were at the scene surrounding the vehicle.

Casa Grande police later confirmed the suspect, 37-year-old Juan Pablo Rodriguez-Fregoso, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The U.S. Marshals task force located his vehicle on the westbound freeway Wednesday afternoon, said Detective Nik Rasheta, Mesa Police Department spokesman.

Rasheta said the vehicle, a white Mitsubishi Galant, stopped on its own just east of Dobson Road on Loop 202.

Task force members tried to contact the suspect, but there was no response. They used rubber baton rounds to break a window and then found the suspect dead in the driver seat of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Rasheta said.

The westbound freeway was reopened about 7 p.m. Wednesday after the closure has caused backups for miles.

The two police department workers shot earlier in the day remained hospitalized Wednesday afternoon.

Casa Grande Officer Thomas Anderson said the shooting was reported at 10 a.m., and the 911 caller was able to give police the name of a suspect, who they identified as Rodriguez-Fregoso.

Police went to the scene of the call to discover two off-duty employees with gunshot wounds. They were flown to Phoenix-area hospitals in serious condition, Anderson said.

The shooting occurred on Lakeside Parkway, near a child care agency and the Villago housing community.

One victim, a female employee, had been treated and was in stable condition. The second victim, a male officer, was to undergo surgery and was in serious condition. Anderson said both victims suffered upper torso injuries.

Four schools in the area — one middle school, one high school and two elementary schools — were placed on temporary lockdown.

The lockdown had been lifted before noon.

Local resident David Uribe called the incident a sad situation and said the neighborhood is normally very safe.

“We’ve been here for eight, almost nine years and it’s a very quiet community,” Uribe said. “It’s the first time anything like this has ever happened before. You can leave your garage door open and nothing happens.”

The U.S. Marshals Service, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Border Patrol were assisting in the investigation. Officers said they didn’t know the motives for the shootings.