Two juveniles have been arrested following an investigation that began with a gunshot wound reported at a Cottonwood hospital.
According to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the hospital on May 9 after a 16-year-old boy arrived with a gunshot wound to his leg. The teen was later airlifted to a Flagstaff hospital for surgery and is expected to recover.
Detectives determined the wound was self-inflicted and learned a sedan had dropped the teen off before leaving the area. Investigators identified a second juvenile and executed search warrants at both teens’ homes.
Authorities say evidence recovered during the searches linked the suspects to weapons offenses and several recent vehicle thefts and burglaries. Detectives also found video recordings allegedly made by the suspects during the crimes.
The Cottonwood Police Department is investigating the vehicle theft cases.