A landscaper arrested in a series of Phoenix freeway shootings told a judge Saturday that authorities have "the wrong guy" as investigators stood by their detective work that traced the gun to the suspect after he took it to a pawn shop.
Leslie Allen Merritt Jr. was charged with counts including aggravated assault, criminal damage, disorderly conduct, carrying out a drive-by shooting and intentional acts of terrorism.
In a brief court appearance, a prosecutor said the 21-year-old should face a high bail after drivers spent the last three weeks on edge.
"The suspect presents a dramatic and profound threat to the community," said Ed Leiter of the Maricopa County attorney's office.
Superior Court Commissioner Lisa Roberts set bail at $1 million, and Merritt, who had remained quiet during the proceedings, asked in a soft-spoken voice to address the court.
"All I have to say is I'm the wrong guy. I tried telling the detectives that. My gun's been in the pawn shop the last two months. I haven't even had access to a weapon," he said as he stood handcuffed in a black and white striped jail uniform.
Merritt was arrested Friday evening after a SWAT team swarmed him at a Wal-Mart in the suburb of Glendale. Minutes later, Gov. Doug Ducey proclaim on Twitter, "We got him!"
Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves said the break in the case was the result of exhaustive investigative work in which detective test-fired weapons from local pawn shops at the state crime lab and ran ballistics tests.
Graves said a gun Merritt pawned matched the weapon used in four of the freeway shootings on Aug. 29 and 30. A tour bus, SUV and two cars were hit by bullets on Interstate 10 on those days.
"Today we are seeing the end result of some incredible police work," he said at a news conference.
Graves declined to comment on Merritt's statement in court that his gun was in the pawn shot at the time of the shootings.
A man who identified himself as a manager at Mo-Money Pawn declined to comment Saturday beyond a post on a Facebook page that said detectives contacted the shop Wednesday looking for a certain caliber and make of handgun and examined several weapons.
Eleven cars in all were hit by bullets or other projectiles, such as BBs or pellets, while driving along Phoenix freeways between Aug. 29 and Sept. 10. There have been no serious injuries, although a 13-year-old girl's ear was cut by glass when a bullet shattered a car window.
Department of Public Safety Director Frank Milstead said the investigation continues into who is behind the other shootings.
AP Photo/Matt YorkArizona Department of Transportation Live Traffic Operations Operators Lisa Supplee, rear, and Chuck Wood monitor over 200 freeway camera's throughout the Phoenix Metro area, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015 in Phoenix.
"Are there others out there? Are there copycats? That is possible," he said.
Graves said detectives were interrogating Merritt "virtually all night."
"There's some elation here that this piece of the pie has been solved, but we are still feverishly working to wrap up all these loose ends," he said.
Messages seeking tips about the shootings will remain posted on electronic signs along freeways, and a $50,000 reward is still available, Graves said.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Merritt's father was adamant that his son had nothing to do with the shootings and anyone who says he was involved is a "moron."
Leslie Merritt Sr. said he believes his son is being made a scapegoat by police who were desperate to make an arrest under immense public pressure.
"He has way too much value for human life to even take the slightest or remotest risk of actually injuring someone," the elder Merritt said. He said his son likes guns but is not a criminal.
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