Follow up article from Monday's AZ Daily Sun -
The shooting at a motorcycle rally at Mormon Lake on Friday night that left three people dead and one critically injured appears to have started out as a dispute over food.
According to information from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, Edgar Atzin, 45, of Phoenix, Trina A. Atzin, 43, of Phoenix and Christian Tejada, 38, of Peoria were all camping together and were friends. The Atzins were married. They all died at the scene.
The fourth victim, a 33-year-old female, was shot six times, underwent surgery at Flagstaff Medical Center and was listed in "critical but stable" condition as of 12:30 p.m. Sunday, said Gerry Blair, spokesperson for the sheriff's office. Her relationship to the group is not being released to protect her identity, Blair said.
According to the investigation, it appears Tejada became involved in the fight over food with another member of their group Friday at about 11:20 p.m. The shooting followed.
The Atzins were found by deputies in close proximity to the trailer the group had been using. Tejada was found by a witness some distance from the trailer with a single gunshot wound under his chin and a handgun close to one of his hands.
Detectives are investigating the possibility that the deaths were the result of a murder-sucide, and that alcohol consumption was a factor in the shooting. The investigation is ongoing.
Deputies assigned to the rally heard what sounded like gunshots Friday night. Soon after, a flood of calls came into the 911 system advising dispatchers of a shooting with multiple victims at the campground.
The shooting drew a heavy police response, with officers from the sheriff's office, the Flagstaff Police Department, the Department of Public Safety, the area anti-gang task force and FPD's tactical team.
About 2,000 people attended this year's motorcycle rally, in its 20th year with the last several years of the event being held at Mormon Lake. The promoter canceled the remainder of the event.
On the event Facebook page, the following message was left by "The Staff": "Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. Our prayers go out to the families of the victims of this senseless tragedy.
"Thanks to everybody for their understanding for us having to cancel the rest of the event. I can assure that respect for the dead and the safety of our attendees played no small part in that decision.
"As you can imagine, we have a lot to sort out with this year's tragedy before we can even think about the future of Too Broke.
"We are asking everybody to be patient and wait for the officers and board to have a chance to recover from their shock and sadness before they can meet and discuss such things."
Reporter Eric Betz contributed to this report. Larry Hendricks can be reached at 556-2262 or lhendricks@azdailysun.com.
Read more:
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/investigators-alcohol-fueled-food-fight-led-to-shooting/article_e37d15e2-6bb8-5a68-beb5-71873071b348.html#ixzz1T8uT7AgJ