Argument over insults at north Tempe crosswalk leads to deadly shooting, arrest
Tempe police arrested 22-year-old Austin James-Raul Daleo on suspicion of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a man on Monday, according to department officials.
Daleo was arrested on suspicion of shooting and killing 49-year-old Joseph David Aguilar, the Tempe Police Department announced. Earlier that day, around 12:30 a.m., officers responded to the area of Scottsdale and McKellips roads for reports of a shooting and found Aguilar with gunshot wounds, police stated.
Even though first responders tried to perform life-saving efforts on Aguilar, he was declared dead at the scene, according to officials.
According to court documents, Daleo and a woman were walking to the intersection together after meeting an hour before at a nearby sports bar.
The woman, who witnessed the shooting, said the two were waiting at the crosswalk when Aguilar approached them on a bike and began insulting her.
Court records stated multiple people in the area recognized Aguilar as a man who was nicknamed "Crazy Dave" and was frequently around north Tempe.
The woman with Daleo told police officials she didn't know Aguilar, but said she wasn't afraid of him and she told him to leave them alone. Court documents said the woman turned away to look at her dog when Aguilar walked toward Daleo and she heard multiple gunshots. She said she turned around to see Aguilar lying on the ground and bleeding.
A second witness from across the street told officials she witnessed Daleo and Aguilar yelling at each other before Daleo pulled out a gun and shot him multiple times.
According to court records, the woman said she recognized Aguilar from around the area and knew him by name. The woman proceeded to approach Daleo and ask why he shot the man, to which Daleo said Aguilar was coming after him.
Daleo did not know Aguilar and had recently moved back to Arizona, according to court records.
Police found Daleo on the scene on his knees with his hands above his head and a gun in his waistband.
Daleo was arrested and booked into a Maricopa County jail on suspicion of charges of second-degree murder and reckless discharge of a firearm in Aguilar’s death. His bond was set at $250,000, and he was slated to appear in court again on May 28.
Madeline Nguyen is a breaking news reporter at The Republic. Reach her at Madeline.Nguyen@gannett.com or 480-619-0285. Follow her on X @madelineynguyen.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Austin Daleo arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting Joseph Aguilar in Tempe
