A routine morning stop at an east Phoenix QuikTrip turned deadly last Friday after a disagreement over the restroom line ended in gunfire, according to police reports.
Phoenix officers were called to the QuikTrip near 44th and Oak streets around 7:45 a.m. after witnesses reported shots inside the store. They found 52-year-old Danny Lyn Kaster lying near the restroom, suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Kaster was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later.
Authorities later identified Deondre Stephon Franklin, 25, as the suspect. According to court records, Franklin’s stepfather called 911 less than an hour after the shooting, telling dispatchers that his stepson had confessed to pulling the trigger. Witness accounts and surveillance footage reportedly matched the family’s description of Franklin and his vehicle.
Police said Franklin eventually agreed to surrender. Detectives made contact with him on Saturday afternoon, and he was taken into custody near 15th and Fillmore streets around 5:50 p.m.
During questioning, Franklin told investigators he was homeless and had gone to the QuikTrip to use the restroom. He claimed he didn’t realize there was a line and had checked the stalls, prompting Kaster—who was waiting in line—to confront him. The two men exchanged words before Franklin stepped back toward the end of the line.
Franklin allegedly told police he feared Kaster and another man might attack him and decided to leave. He said Kaster followed him outside, at which point Franklin drew a Glock pistol from his pocket. According to the probable cause statement, Franklin claimed Kaster reached for the gun before he fired twice “to defend himself.”
Witnesses largely corroborated the sequence of events leading up to the shooting, police said. Franklin fled the scene but was arrested the following day. He has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held on $1 million bond, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional details about the confrontation or whether further charges could follow as the investigation continues.
