Tragedy erupted late Tuesday night at Deli Sports Bar in Peoria, where an intoxicated patron, after being ejected from the establishment, resorted to gun violence. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, 46-year-old Mario Franco of El Mirage was pronounced dead following a confrontation with two armed individuals who intervened during the incident.
The dispute began inside the bar, located near 95th and Peoria Avenues, where Franco was denied service due to his intoxication. Officials say he was then escorted outside, and it was at this point that Franco retrieved a gun from his vehicle and began firing. With shots fired into both the air and the establishment, an innocent person inside the bar was struck, said Peoria Police Officer Kristopher Babros in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix. The injured party has since been released from the hospital.
In what seemed like moments of decisive action, two men sitting on a park bench outside the bar engaged Franco after he started shooting into the bar. A shootout ensued in the parking lot, where Franco was fatally shot, and the two men who were also armed walked away without physical injuries. They remained at the scene and cooperated with law enforcement upon their arrival, as detailed by AZ Family…