A self-inflicted gunshot wound led to two juvenile boys being arrested on burglary and weapons charges, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office announced May 28.
“On May 9, at approximately 3 a.m., [YCSO] deputies responded to a hospital in Cottonwood after a 16-year-old male arrived with a gunshot wound to his leg,” YCSO stated. “The juvenile was later flown to a hospital in Flagstaff for surgery and is expected to recover.”
“The self-inflicted gunshot does not appear to be intentional,” YCSO spokesman Paul Wick said, but Wick did not respond to follow-up questions by deadline.
“Investigators also learned that a silver or white sedan was seen fleeing the hospital after dropping the teen off,” YCSO stated. “The YCSO Criminal Investigations Bureau soon identified and located the other teenager involved. Detectives executed search warrants at their homes, recovering evidence that linked them to weapons offenses and multiple recent vehicle thefts. Additionally, detectives found video footage of the crimes, which the suspects had allegedly recorded themselves.”
Both boys were arrested during the week of May 17 through 23 on charges of weapons misconduct and burglary. The vehicle theft investigation has been handed to the Cottonwood Police Department, as those offenses reportedly occurred within city limits.
CPD has been investigating a rash of vehicle thefts, break-ins, and attempted break-ins — primarily at apartment complexes which date back to mid-to-late March. “In some instances, we’ve gathered evidence of some of the potential suspect(s). Currently, our detectives are following up on any and all leads that have [been] generated, including those from surrounding agencies,” CPD Cmdr. Gareth Braxton-Johnson wrote.
Braxton-Johnson said CPD detectives are working to identify if there’s any connection between the suspects arrested on May 9, and other recent incidents, “as well as other leads that have and may eventually surface.”
Anyone with information related to the investigation should contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office at 928-771-3260
