Pinal County Sheriff's Office detectives have arrested three suspects in relation to yesterday's (08-17-08) Cambria shooting. At approx. 3 pm yesterday, detectives arrested Thais "Lamar" Cooper age 20, of Queen Creek, Johnny Lee Cooks age 21, of Queen Creek, and a 17 year old Queen Creek male juvenile in relation to the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old Queen Creek High School student in the early morning of Aug. 17th.
At about 2:30 am on Aug. 17th, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office received several 9-1-1 calls in reference to multiple shots fired and a subject laying face down next to the street off of Altadonna near Cambria in the Cambria neighborhood, east of the Town of Queen Creek. The victim, Anibal Mendoza was pronounced deceased on scene from a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The victim was part of a group who allegedly had ongoing issues with another group.
On the morning of the shooting, the two groups confronted each other at a park in Cambria. The altercation was initiated by a shotgun shot from a male juvenile member of a group of approx. five-people, toward a group of approx. nine people. No major injuries resulted from the shotgun shot.
After the initial confrontation, the five-person group left the park and drove to a nearby side street in Cambria. The victim and another member of the nine-person group followed to confront the group on the side street. After another altercation, Cooper allegedly shot the victim and Cooks shot at the other member of the victim's group as he drove away. Alcohol could have been a factor.
Cooper faces felony charges of murder in the first degree, conspiracy and child abuse. Cooks faces felony charges of endangerment and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and the 17 year old juvenile faces aggravated assault charges.
The victim's next of kin has been notified and his body was transported to the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office.