A Phoenix woman has been formally charged after prosecutors say she fired into a home earlier this year, injuring a 4-year-old boy.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, 29-year-old Joanna Chalup Cortez was indicted by a grand jury on Jan. 15 for discharging a firearm at a structure and two counts of aggravated assault. Her trial is scheduled to begin on May 20.
The incident took place on Jan. 6, when Phoenix Police Department officers were called to a residence near 32nd Street and Broadway Road just after noon. Upon arrival, officers found a young boy suffering from a gunshot wound to the face.
Investigators say Cortez fired a rifle toward the home, where her ex-boyfriend was visiting. The bullet struck the child, who was inside at the time. The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.
Police identified Cortez as the shooter the following day and arranged her surrender before she was taken into custody.
Officials have not provided an update on the child’s recovery, but prosecutors emphasized their commitment to seeking justice in what they described as a “deeply troubling and preventable act of violence.”
