PHOENIX, AZ – A man was arrested for allegedly shooting his stepfather following an internet outage at their home on Sunday. Brandon Alvarez, 31, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of 57-year-old Jaunarius Moreno.
Phoenix police officers responded to a 911 call placed by Alvarez at approximately 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Alvarez informed dispatchers that he had shot his stepfather. Upon arrival, officers found Moreno with multiple gunshot wounds in the backyard.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by local media, the internet service was accidentally cut off while a new installation was underway. Family members, aware that Alvarez would be upset, contacted Moreno to address the situation.
Upon returning home, Moreno became upset with Alvarez and his family for using the internet without paying. He went into the backyard holding a flashlight to investigate. Witnesses reported that Moreno approached Alvarez in an aggressive manner.
Alvarez claimed he feared for his safety, stating he believed Moreno might try to attack him or take his gun. After the shooting, Alvarez checked on his children who were inside the home before leaving the weapon in the bedroom and calling 911.
First responders arrived on the scene but pronounced Moreno dead. Police later determined that Moreno had posed no threat as he was unarmed at the time of the incident.