A six-month investigation into the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy in Mesa has resulted in the arrests of three suspects, according to police.
Mesa investigators say Bre’on Ballard was taken into custody last week in California, while officers arrested Nikko Cartier and Jameeier White on Friday in Arizona. All three were in their late teens at the time of the shooting, which occurred May 21 at an apartment complex near Val Vista Drive and U.S. 60.
The attack left two people wounded. Both were taken to a hospital, where 16-year-old Azriel Lloyd died from his injuries.
Ballard, Cartier and White were identified as persons of interest early on, but detectives said they needed additional evidence before pursuing charges. Over the past several months, police conducted multiple interviews, executed search warrants across several Valley cities and completed forensic testing. Several firearms were recovered as part of the case.
The three suspects are now charged with first-degree murder and are each being held on $2 million bond.
A recent Mesa police brief provides background on similar multi-agency investigations in the region.
