"Running for their lives": Davontae Sanford accused of shooting AR15 in direction of homes
DETROIT (WJBK) - Davontae Sanford, who spent years in prison for a quadruple murder he did not commit, was part of a group of men shooting high-powered weapons in the direction of a subdivision and park, according to a police report.
Sanford was arrested Monday evening in Phoenix and faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and endangerment. FOX 2 has obtained the arresting documents that show why he was arrested. According to police, Sanford was firing a high-powered weapon in the direction of homes and a park.
According to the arrest documents obtained by FOX 2 Detroit, detectives were called to a home in Waddell, Arizona, a city on the outskirts of the Phoenix suburbs, on Monday after someone reported smelling marijuana near a home in a subdivision.
The DEA and Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Detectives were all involved in the case. When detectives arrived, they spotted three men on ATVs and followed them to a part of the open desert, just west of the subdivision.
As officers watched the three around 2:30 p.m. Monday, they said the men were shooting high caliber ammunition towards the subdivision and a community park.
One detective reported that rounds were ricocheting around the area and children and young adults in the area were "running for their lives".
Other detectives say that they heard the high caliber rifle fire but could not access the area to stop the gunshots due to the desert terrain. About 20 minutes after they arrived, the three men got back on the ATVs and returned to the home, with police following them.
Detectives surrounded the home and took the third rider into custody before he could get into the home. Detectives said the people inside started to close shutters and police were treating the scene as a barricaded situation.
Around 4:30 p.m., about two hours after the initial call, Davontae Sanford and his brother Deshon Davis walked out of the home and were taken into custody.
CLICK HERE TO read the entire arrest report
According to the report, police said they found marijuana, a large volume drum magazine for an AR type rifle, an ammunition box, and an empty container for high caliber rifle ammunition - all in plain view. A short time later, a warrant was obtained and police could further search the home. When they did, they said they found two high power semi automatic AR-15s, pistol rifles, empty boxes of ammo, and a high capacity magazine.
The report states that the men told them they were shooting a pistol and a long rifle.