Soft-spoken and handcuffed, a 21-year-old landscaper insists that he is not responsible for a string of Phoenix freeway shootings and that his gun has been sitting in a pawn shop for months.
Despite Leslie Allen Merritt Jr.'s impromptu assertion in court Saturday, investigators said they have proof that the gun wasn't in any pawn shop at the time of four shootings they say he carried out.
NEW court docs out in #FreewayShootings case. Suspect told judge he hasn't had a gun in weeks. Docs say otherwise pic.twitter.com/fkH0c1Yrh7— Jared Dillingham (@JaredDillingham) September 20, 2015
Newly released charging documents detail the detective work that traced the gun to the suspect after he took it to a pawn shop. Weapons from various local pawn shops were test-fired at the state lab, Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves said.
The Glendale resident faces several charges, including aggravated assault, criminal damage, disorderly conduct, carrying out a drive-by shooting and intentional acts of terrorism. Merritt told a judge that authorities have "the wrong guy."
In a brief court appearance, a prosecutor said Merritt should face a high bail after drivers spent the last three weeks on edge. Overall, 11 freeway shootings were reported, but Merritt is only charged in four.
From initial appearance of the suspect in freeway shooting, he is claiming that he had the weapon at the pawnshop for the last two months.— Sal DiCiccio (@Sal_DiCiccio) September 19, 2015
"The suspect presents a dramatic and profound threat to the community," said Ed Leiter of the Maricopa County attorney's office.
Superior Court Commissioner Lisa Roberts set bail at $1 million, and Merritt, who had remained quiet during the proceedings, asked to address the court.
"All I have to say is I'm the wrong guy. I tried telling the detectives that. My gun's been in the pawn shop the last two months. I haven't even had access to a weapon," he said as he stood handcuffed in a black and white striped jail uniform.
But a charging document released late Saturday night by Maricopa Superior Court said that investigators determined Merritt had not pawned his gun at the time of the incidents. The charging document said that investigators determined by testing that the bullets and the bullet fragments from four incidents came from a gun that was owned by the suspect.
In all, Merritt is facing 30 charges, including three counts of Drive-by shooting, three counts of criminal damage, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of endangerment, three counts of discharging a firearm within city limits.
Eleven vehicles in all were hit by bullets or other projectiles, such as BBs or pellets, while driving along Phoenix freeways between Aug. 29 and Sept. 10. There have been no serious injuries, although a 13-year-old girl's ear was cut by glass when a bullet shattered a car window.
Shootings along I-10 under investigation by detectives and state troopers. Read more here: http://t.co/HPp4VfyvXt pic.twitter.com/sXaZLFI1QQ— Ariz. State Troopers (@Arizona_DPS) August 30, 2015
Additional reporting by Mashable