Speeding Clash and False Gun Alarm Ignite Massive Response on Dirk Street

UPDATE 7:55 p.m. June 12, 2025 — A heated argument over speeding and an alleged sighting of a firearm prompted a significant police response in Maricopa Meadows.

At approximately 6 p.m., multiple patrol units raced to the 45000 block of West Dirk Street following 911 calls about an individual shouting and allegedly pointing a gun at a silver sedan. Maricopa Police Department spokesperson Monica Williams later clarified that the incident originated from a confrontation between a pedestrian and a suspected speeding driver.

According to Williams, a man walking his dog confronted the driver, escalating tensions into a verbal dispute. The driver exited his vehicle, and bystanders mistakenly believed a weapon was involved. “There possibly was a weapon involved,” Williams stated. “That’s why we responded with so many officers. However, the driver had already left the scene.”

Law enforcement quickly cordoned off Dirk Street while canvassing the area. One resident, Chuck Mullins, reported that officers came to his home, believing he matched a suspect’s description. In a social media post, Mullins recounted how an officer stood at his window with a hand on his weapon while another knocked on his door. “I was … sick of saying, ‘It’s not me,’” he wrote.

Ultimately, police determined there was no ongoing threat. Williams confirmed that no firearm was found, and the individual suspected of brandishing it had left. “We have no reason to believe there’s a danger to the community. We are all cleared,” she added.

Authorities are urging anyone with video footage or information about the incident to contact the MPD’s non-emergency line at 520-568-3673.

— Elias Weiss

(First InMaricopa) A traffic-related feud in Maricopa Meadows triggered an extensive police response earlier today.

At least seven units from the Maricopa Police Department, lights flashing and sirens blaring, raced to West Dirk Street at 6 p.m. Residents reported a dispute over speeding in the area, according to a spokesperson.

While multiple neighbors claimed a gun was involved, police neither confirmed nor denied those claims. “We are actively working the call,” the spokesperson said.

Concerns about road rage have heightened due to several recent shootings in the Maricopa area. Notably, on March 15, the Casa Grande Police Department arrested a former Maricopa High School quarterback in connection with a drive-by shooting.

Additionally, Arizona state troopers apprehended two men over separate drive-by incidents on State Route 347 in April, further emphasizing the rise in road rage-related violence. Both suspects were residents of Maricopa.

The Maricopa Police Department has responded to the same section of Dirk Street multiple times over recent years. In April of last year, a 24-year-old man was found fatally stabbed in a nearby backyard, a case that remains unsolved.

Another incident occurred on February 23, when officers responded to a report of a young boy holding a gun to his brother’s head. Tragically, the boy, Estaban Valenzuela, was shot and killed later that year in what police suspect was a drug-related robbery gone wrong.

InMaricopa recently mapped gun violence in the area, identifying Maricopa Meadows as one of the city’s two hotspots, primarily linked to road rage incidents.