A disagreement amongst family members, owners of a limousine service in Phoenix turned into a brutal confrontation which ultimately resulted in the deaths of 5 people, according to authorities.
Phoenix police had found out about the deaths of 3 men and 2 women on Thursday. Investigators were able to identify the gunman as Driss Diaeddin, 50. The victims had been identified as Meriem Ben Yahia, 26, Reda Diaeddinn, 38, Dodi Faed, 56 and Kenza Benzakour, 76.
It is being suspected that on Thursday, the situation turned so deadly due to a business dispute that has been prolonging for a while. When the police investigated witnesses from the neighborhood, it has been gathered that 2 women escaped from their homes unharmed. According to the police, Diaeddinn shot a two of his brothers, his mother and one of his brother’s wives.
According to the authorities, his wife managed to escape from the back entrance of their residence when the gunfire started. She had a 3-years-old toddler and an infant with her during her escape and none of them had been injured. Another woman escaped from the residence about an hour into the argument and has told the police that she had been hiding herself in the bathroom during that time.
Belonging to Moroccon ethnicity, the family has been running a restaurant in Phoenix along with operating a limousine service.The family business dispute has been enduring amongst the family members for quite a while now although no particular details about it has been found out, according to detectives. One of the acquaintances of the family has reported of the financial disputes.
SWAT team waited to make entry into the home while an extensive standoff went on, eventually finding all 5 people dead inside. Detectives described the scene as “horrific”.
Sgt. Trent Crump said, “It’s very obvious, whether it’s the heat, passion or the anger of what happened, he certainly went to great lengths to make sure each of them were dead.”
The gunman’s wife, who had escaped the home, made the 911 call, and shots could be heard in the background.
“To have to go out the back of a home, taking two kids with you while you’re on the phone with 911 while shots are being fired, it sounds like a very heroic act on her part,” Sgt. Crump. “To have the other female come out later is pretty miraculous.”
