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Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Gilbert Arizona Murder-Suicide, 5 Dead, Including Shooter

By Susan Duclos

Via ABC affiliate, WZZm13:

A border militia leader on Wednesday shot and killed four people at a Gilbert home, including a toddler, before committing suicide, sources said.

Sources identified the shooter as Jason "J.T." Ready, a reputed neo-Nazi who made headlines when he launched a militia movement to patrol the Arizona desert to hunt for illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. 

At least one person survived the shooting, and was being treated at Maricopa Medical Center.

 [Update] Local television news here in AZ is reporting the survivor was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Authorities have not identified the other victims, but reached by phone Wednesday afternoon, Hugo Maderos said the victims were his ex-wife, Lisa; their daughter, Amber; Amber's boyfriend, whose name The Republic is withholding until his next of kin could be notified, and Amber's 18-month-old baby, Lilly.

Maderos, who lives in Tampa, Fla., said Ready lived at the home with his girlfriend, Lisa.

News Lalate gives a bio of the suspected shooter with photos.

Jason “J.T.” Ready was listed on websites as a Nativist Leader, a “member of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps as well as the founder of the prominent, Arizona-based nativist extremist organization Americans Firs.” He was also listed as a “past president of the Mesa Community College Republican Club and current Maricopa County Republican precinct committeeman.”



Twelve years ago he ran for Mesa City Council. He once told news that he feared “assassination. “They want to kill the patriot who is only a lowly dogcatcher long before he can expose the aliens who subvert freedom from within the halls of Congress or the White House,” he said. “Though I want to live free and in peace, I am fully prepared to be murdered or falsely imprisoned for what I believe to be true.

Details are still emerging and no suspected motive for this has been released by authorities as of yet.

[Update] Reports are saying this was spurred by a domestic dispute.

[Update] The previous report that one person was wounded apparently referred to the infant, who was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to what Sgt. Bill Balafas told the paper. (Source- USA Today)