Arizona Shooting Spree Kills 4, Suspect Arrested
Four people were killed, and one was injured in Arizona shooting on Friday and Saturday, and authorities have apprehended a suspect in connection with the incident. Jill Torrance/Getty Images

The authorities have arrested an individual believed to be linked to five Arizona shooting incidents over the weekend, which resulted in the tragic loss of four lives and one injury.

The shootings, spanning across Mesa and Phoenix, transpired on Friday and Saturday, as detailed by official sources.

The 20-year-old Iren Byers, the Arizona shooting suspect, was taken into custody on Sunday, facing four charges of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the previous shootings, according to an official press release by the Mesa Police Department.

Law enforcement officials have determined that Byers bears sole responsibility for the entire string of shootings, with his admission of guilt during questioning, as stated in the official statement.

Amanda Martin, the Capital Unit Attorney Supervisor for the Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender, has confirmed to CNN via telephone that an attorney from the office, designated for on-call duty, has visited Byers.

Byers will be legally represented by one of the attorneys affiliated with the office.

Why Did the Arizona Shooting Suspect Shoot the Victims?

In Mesa, a 36-year-old woman was found with gunshot wounds at the Main and Stewart Streets intersection early on Saturday morning.

Despite sustaining life-threatening injuries, she was in stable condition and was scheduled for surgery, NBC News noted.

The shootings appear random, and the suspected Arizona gunman, Iren Byers, is believed to have had various motives, according to Mesa police spokeswoman Detective Brandi George. Authorities also suspect the presence of mental illness in the case.

Byers admitted to shooting the injured woman, stating that he became upset after talking to her. Allegedly, he shot her in the face and shot her again when he realized she was still alive.

In another incident, Byers encountered a man in Phoenix and claimed to have shot him in the head because he disliked fentanyl, as his brother had abused the drug. Byers told investigators that the victim was unarmed and posed no threat to him, prompting him to board a bus after the crime.

At Beverly Park, a 41-year-old, Julian Cox, was found dead, while another 41-year-old, Stephen Young, was discovered deceased near a bus station on South Country Club Road. In addition, the body of John Swain, 40, was found in South Extension Road after 2 am while the police were searching the area.

Byers allegedly shot the individual at Beverly Park because he discussed "blues," which refers to fentanyl-laced counterfeit opioid pills.

Similarly, the victim found on South Country Club Road was shot by Byers because he wanted to smoke "blues," while Byers preferred weeds. The two men had encountered each other while using the light rail system.

Meanwhile, Byers claimed he shot the man he encountered on the railway tracks near South Extension Road in the head because "he was homeless and not from around here." Byers "followed him to continue shooting him" even after the victim slid down a nearby hill, according to the probable cause statement

Arizona Shooting Suspect Admitted the Killings and Is Cooperative with the Police

In a collaborative effort between Phoenix and Mesa law enforcement agencies, it has been established, based on compelling evidence such as the 9mm firearm used in the shootings, the suspect's clothing, and his physical description, that a single shooter was responsible for all five incidents, as stated in the probable cause statement.

During an unrelated arrest, Byers admitted to shooting all five victims and expressed his lack of intent to seek assistance for them, deeming them undeserving, according to the statement.

Byers allegedly provided information to the police regarding the location of the handgun and clothes used during the crimes, KAKE noted.

Detective Brandi George expressed her condolences to the families of the four victims in an email, stating, "We are saddened for the families of these four victims. Knowing that Iren Byers will have to face the consequences of his unjustified actions is the start of justice to be seen."

Following his apprehension, Byers, the Arizona shooting suspect, has been booked by the Mesa Police Department and is currently being held without the possibility of bond.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: 4 dead in string of Mesa, Phoenix 'horrific' shootings - From FOX 10 Phoenix