PHOENIX — Three teenagers have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in a 2023 drive-by shooting in Tempe that killed a 5-year-old boy and injured two other children, officials announced Monday.
The shooting occurred near 48th Street and Broadway Road, where Alfred Gary, Freddy Patterson, and Charles Adams fired more than 20 rounds into a vehicle occupied by seven people during a dispute with a rival gang member. The young boy was fatally shot in the back of the head, while a 17-year-old and an 8-year-old were also wounded.
Prosecutors said the attackers later returned to the scene and filmed videos bragging about the shooting, which they shared with fellow gang members.
All three pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including second-degree murder and drive-by shooting. Gary, 18, received a 16-year sentence. Patterson, 18, and Adams, 19, were each sentenced to 30 years for the fatal attack.
Both Patterson and Adams received an additional five years for a separate drive-by shooting that targeted a woman and her three children. No injuries occurred in that incident.
“Those who act with no regard for human life have no place in our society,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “We are committed to working with law enforcement to eliminate gang violence and keep our communities safe.”
