TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A 17-year-old suspect in the murder of a University of Arizona student says he did not see the shooting of Forrest Keys because he either blacked out or had his eyes closed.
On Saturday, University of Arizona and Tucson Police announced the arrest of 17-year-old Ruben Young and 17-year-old Roberto Joaquin Camargo. On Friday police said they had arrested and charged 17-year-old Alonzo Orosco in the death.
All three are charged with first-degree murder and drive-by shooting, though court documents identify Ruben Young as the person police believe did the actual shooting. Police believe Orosco was the driver of the car involved. Under the law of parties, everyone who participated in a crime can be equally charged.
Charging documents say there were five males in a red or maroon Cadillac that had been cruising the University of Arizona campus the night of the shooting. The report says shortly before the shooting occupants of the car confronted two women on campus and threw a pizza box at them.
The report says the car and the people in it ended up in another confrontation with a group that included 20-year-old Forrest Keys.
The charges say people in the car yelled at the group. Members of the group yelled back and the car turned around. The report says Forrest Keys went to the front passenger door, argued with a young male there, and punched him in the face. Witnesses say that the passenger, now alleged to be Ruben Young, pulled a gun and shot two or three times. Keys ran about thirty yards, collapsed, and died in the Cherry Street parking garage.
Witnesses took cover as the Cadillac took off.
RELATED: Court docs: Teen was driving car involved in murder of UArizona student
Surveillance video helped police get a good image of the car. A tip helped police find an image of the car with a legible license plate. Police connected it to a surveillance image from December that showed Alonso Orosco at the wheel.
Police said when they questioned Orosco he said he was the driver of the Cadillac, not the passenger, and claimed he had acted in self-defense. He refused to identify anyone else in the car.
Information found in Orosco’s phone helped lead police to Ruben Young. They say Young matched the description of the shooter provided by shooting witnesses.
Police say Roberto Carmargo confirmed the account of the teens in the car arguing with female students and throwing a pizza box at them. He allegedly told officers he was in the back of the car when Forrest Keys was shot. Investigators say Camargo was consistent with surveillance video when he said the shooting victim was not armed and was not blocking the path of the car.
Police say he told them he heard at least one shot but saw nothing because his eyes were closed or he had blacked out.
RELATED:
