Arizona target shooting leaves man critically injured after dispute over stolen gun

A confrontation inside a Mesa retail store escalated into gunfire after a dispute over a stolen weapon, leaving one man with life-threatening injuries and another facing multiple felony charges.

MESA, AZ – A 21-year-old man is accused of shooting a friend inside a Target store after tracking him down over a handgun that had been taken from his vehicle earlier that night, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by AZ Family. The shooting unfolded near the store’s restroom area, sending shoppers scrambling as gunfire rang out.

Dylan Stinson was arrested Monday and is facing multiple counts of aggravated assault and one count of discharging a firearm within city limits, according to court records. Police allege the incident began after the victim removed a handgun from the trunk of Stinson’s car while the group was gathered near a smoke shop in the same shopping complex.

Timeline of events leading to shooting

According to investigators, the victim took the handgun while Stinson was inside the smoke shop and then went to the nearby Target with two women who had also been in the vehicle. The affidavit states the victim concealed the firearm in his pants and entered the store as if he were shopping.

Stinson later noticed both the individuals and his firearm were gone and went looking for them inside Target. Police say Stinson, along with another man, located the victim and confronted him inside the store. The affidavit alleges they forced the victim to the ground, took back the handgun, and Stinson then fired a shot into the victim’s torso.

Emergency responders transported the victim to a local hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries. He remains in recovery after sustaining critical injuries.

Investigation and arrest

Surveillance footage captured Stinson and another individual fleeing the store immediately after the shooting, according to police. Investigators reported that Stinson was seen holding the handgun as he exited. Officers recovered a single shell casing at the scene.

Authorities used license plate reader data to identify the vehicle Stinson was driving, which was registered to his mother. Officers later located Stinson at that residence, where they also recovered the handgun believed to have been used in the shooting.

Stinson was taken into custody and booked into jail, where he is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Shore News Network Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.