Thursday, May 3, 2012

5 dead after shooting at Arizona home allegedly involving neo-Nazi

Published May 03, 2012

FoxNews.com:


Five people were killed in a shooting at a home in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert that police are investigating as a domestic violence incident allegedly involving a local sheriff's candidate infamous for his involvement with a neo-Nazi militia.

MyFoxPhoenix reports police responded to reports of shots fired Wednesday at the home of 47-year-old Lisa Mederos.

Mederos was reportedly the girlfriend of Jason "JT" Ready, a well-known reputed neo-Nazi who was running for Pinal County Sheriff. Ready had allegedly been living at the home for the past two years.

Police say four adults were found dead at the scene from gunshot wounds. A toddler also was found wounded and was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

At a briefing for reporters, Gilbert police Sgt. Bill Balafas said all the evidence points to the shooting being related to domestic violence. He didn't elaborate. Officers have recovered two handguns and a shotgun.

Gilbert police told FoxNews.com they are still looking at suspects, but based on witness reports they think the shooter is one of the deceased.

A law enforcement source told MyFoxPhoenix Ready was among the dead. The source claims the other victims were identified as Mederos, her 22-year-old daughter Amber Mederos, Amber's 22-year-old boyfriend Jim Hoitt, and Amber's 2-year-old daughter Lilly. The victims have not been officially identified by police.

MyFoxPhoenix also reports Ready's car was parked in the driveway at the home. Witnesses said a SWAT team sealed off part of the area and investigators told residents to remain indoors.

Police are testing an unknown liquid found in 55-gallon drums found in the backyard of the home where the shooting took place. Officers are staying out of the home while a hazardous materials crew samples the liquid as a precautionary measure.

Ready made headlines in the past when he started a militia, named the U.S. Border Guard, to hunt illegal immigrants and drug gangs in the Arizona desert.

The former marine was open about his dreams of a white-only America and was a featured speaker at many Neo-Nazi rallies.

He also had led the white supremacist National Socialist Movement, and entered as a candidate for the position of Pinal County Sheriff at an upcoming election.

"Lets face it - we are it," Ready recently posted on Facebook according to MyFoxPhoenix. "SEALs and SF are not stepping up to the plate to train American patriots to defend their homeland. We have traitors in office, an apathetic population, hostile media, narco-terrorists, cartel invasion, narco-insurgency, street gangs the size of armies, vicious prison gangs - if not fight back now while we have a chance then when?"

Ready's campaign's Facebook page posted after the shootings were announced that they had heard reports a "cartel assassination squad murdered JT Ready and several of his friends and family this afternoon," and vowed to keep the page updated.

Click here for more on this story from MyFoxPhoenix.com.

The Associated Press and Newscore contributed to this report.

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