Suspect confesses in Serial Shooters case

PHOENIX, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- One of the suspected so-called Serial Shooters that plagued Phoenix between 2005 and 2006 said in court he shot one of the victims.

Serial Shooters suspect Samuel Dieteman testified in court Wednesday that he shot Paul Patrick as the Phoenix resident was walking to a convenience store on June 8, 2006, The Arizona Republic reported.

"I was handed the 12-gauge, and I shot him," Dieteman said in Maricopa County Superior Court.

The testimony by Dieteman, who was arrested in August 2006 along with fellow suspect Dale Hausner, proved emotional for Patrick.

"Right now, I'm kind of raw," Patrick said after Wednesday's hearing. "I've wanted to hear it since the day it happened.

"Now that I've heard it, I don't know how to feel about it."

Patrick has been confined to motorized chair since the shooting, having had suffered severe spinal injuries in the incident. He has been a regular attendee at nearly all hearings pertaining to the shootings, which resulted in eight murder charges against Hausner and two murder guilty pleas from Dieteman.