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7 people, including children, shot in Arizona parking lot

By Jean Lotus
Mesa, Ariz., police are investigating a drive-by shooting that injured seven people, including several children, in a parking lot Friday night. Photo courtesy Mesa Police Dept. 
1 of 2 | Mesa, Ariz., police are investigating a drive-by shooting that injured seven people, including several children, in a parking lot Friday night. Photo courtesy Mesa Police Dept. 

Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Police in Mesa, Ariz., were continuing to investigate the scene of a drive-by shooting that injured seven people from multiple families, including four children under age 18.

Mesa Police said the incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Friday in a Goodwill parking lot in the suburb of Phoenix.

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"A vehicle drove by and opened fire on a crowd that was gathered here on the corner," police spokesman Nik Rasheta said Friday night.

Seven people were wounded, including children aged 1, 6, 9 and 16 in addition to three adults.

One of the victims, a 1-year-old child, was in critical condition with a life-threatening injury and other injuries ranged from minor to severe, Mesa police Chief Ken Cost said Saturday.

The parking lot had been set up for an outdoor fair with booths.

A witness who identified himself as "Mike" told Valley News Box on Friday that he was nearby in a backyard and said he identified that weapon shooting as an automatic rifle.

"We heard 19 to 20 rounds just go off, boom, boom, boom. I was in the Army, and an AK-47 has a very distinct sound. That's what that was."

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Police said they believed the shooting was an "isolated incident."

"Our officers and investigators are diligently working to process the scene, speak to all the witnesses and scour through all available physical evidence to help us locate and arrest the person/persons responsible for this shooting," officials said in a statement.

The police did not announce any arrests as of Saturday night.

"They crossed the line. They shot children and it's unacceptable," Cost said. "You need to come forward and do the right thing."

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