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Police say witness statements show self-defense
SAN TAN VALLEY – Gilbert Police have released a lengthy report painting a grisly picture of a fatal shooting outside the San Tan Village Mall last Saturday evening.
Dozens of witnesses saw Mitchell Fickes go down in a hail of gunfire after an apparent road rage incident.
The report is 37 pages long. Police have not yet released some 56 911 calls that were made following the shooting.
Witnesses reported seeing 56-year-old Fickes’ silver-gray pickup tailing Matthew Bohls’ white pickup by the San Tan Village Mall.
“The two vehicles appeared to be racing east on Williamsfield approaching Market Street,” one witness told police.
“The white Dodge cut off the silver Ford and came to a stop in front of the Ford at the red light,” another said.
According to another witness, “the driver of the gray-colored truck exited the vehicle with a gun in his hand and walked toward the white colored truck.”
At that point a number of witnesses saw the driver of the white truck, 23-year-old Matthew Bohls, take out his own gun and open fire.
One witness “saw the victim getting hit and then fall back to the ground, start shaking and blood started coming from his mouth.”
Both men lived near the mall. Nobody answered at Matt Bohls’ home. A neighbor says he is a good guy.
“Ever since I have known him, he has just been a great guy. We have a couple kids, he comes over, plays with the kids, great guy, an army veteran — I am in the military as well, so I respect that,” says Chris Bisdnack.
Police combed the scene for evidence, including spent shell casings, pieces of tissue, teeth and blood. So far, they say, the shooting appears to be a case of self-defense.-[source]
I was at the scene and witnessed it. This was horrific. Matt’s gun was easily available when he grabbed it. What happened prior to two men chasing each other? We will never know. I did see Mitchell get out of his truck first but so did Matt then Matt ran to his truck and grabbed the gun which was in arm’s reach and kept firing it. I will never forget that. The media said it was self defense. I did not see Mitchell hold a gun to his head and fire one however I’m sure Matt was scared but what made Mitchell so mad to get out of his truck? Was Matt showing him a pistol prior to the stop at the read light? Matt should go to jail and pay for what he did. There were so many people around and someone else could of been killed. This was over kill and I hope they arrest him after the investigation and hold him accountable for at least something. Mitchell per the news always had a gun on his holster. Two people know what really happened when this started and one is dead.
Why should Matt go to jail for defending his life?
Mitchell was the aggressor.
Stupid SHOULD be fatal.
LET THE CRIMINAL BE THE VICTIM
Sounds as if both parties should have called the police and reported the road rage. The person that got out of his vehicle and approached the other driver was looking for a fight, so it appears. I had someone do this very same thing once, with a dark shiny object in his hand.
At first I thought it was a pistol, I opened my car door and rolled onto the street calling 911, the other driver spooked, got in his truck and drove away…