PHOENIX — A former city bus driver suspected in a string of nine deadly shootings that spread fear in Phoenix declared “I’m innocent” as residents of the terrorized neighborhoods Tuesday expressed both relief over the arrest and frustration that it took so long.
Aaron Saucedo, 23, spoke up during a brief court appearance late Monday night after his arrest on suspicion of being the killer dubbed the Serial Street Shooter. A judge ordered him held without bail.
Police say Saucedo killed nine people and carried out 12 shootings from August 2015 to July 2016, gunning down victims after dark as they stood outside their homes or sat in their cars. Most of the killings were in a Latino neighborhood.
Police gave no details on a motive. Saucedo knew only the first victim, and the other killings were random, authorities said.
Because of the shootings last summer, some residents stayed inside after dark. Others were afraid to come forward because many are immigrants in the U.S. illegally or don’t have their paperwork in order.
Residents said they were happy that police made an arrest but questioned whether it would have happened sooner had the killings occurred in a different neighborhood.
“They didn’t look for him at all. They didn’t care. You know why? Because there were no white people dying,” resident Sirwendell Flowers said. “Look at the faces on the news. The police didn’t care.”
Witnesses described the shooter as a young, lanky Hispanic man who drove a BMW, helping develop a sketch that bears a striking resemblance to Saucedo. Police said Saucedo had a BMW but stopped driving it and changed his appearance after the final shooting.
Experts said some of the circumstances surrounding the case are unusual, including Saucedo’s young age.
Jack Levin, a retired professor of sociology and criminology at Northeastern University in Boston and the author of several books on serial killings, said most serial killers are in their 30s and 40s and their crimes rarely involve guns.