Sedona Police Department responds to gunfire near homes; city issues ‘shelter-in-place’ notice to surrounding neighborhoods

Gunfire in a neighborhood lead to a shelter-in-place notice issued to residents on the north end of Soldier Pass Road on Thursday, May 21.

Sedona residents on Shadow Rock Drive and Shadow Circle, an adjacent cul-de-sac, reported the sounds of gunfire in a forested area around which Shadow Rock Drive loops west of Soldier Pass Road in West Sedona around 10:32 a.m. on May 21.

Continuing gunshots could be heard on police radio traffic as Sedona Police Department officers were responding to the area.

Neighbors helped responding police officers locate the man, 33-year-old Stephen Matthew Beaver, a transient, who was located in the fenced backyard of the residence, who was quickly apprehended at 10:43 a.m., shirtless and barefoot.

The owner of the property was contacted by phone said Beaver had no business there.

At 11:04 a.m., the city of Sedona’s Nixle alert system issued a Shelter in Place notice to residents of Shadow Rock and Cottages at Coffee Pot HOAs due to the active police situation.

Police took up position outside a home used as a vacation rental on Shadow Rock Drive an Soldier Pass Road due to a possible second person inside.

Neighbors reported to the NEWS seeing two men at the home, one of whom was unloading firearms the day before — this man matched the description of the suspect who was later arrested. Multiple rifles, handguns and spent shell casings were recoverd from the scene.

Cottonwood Police Department officers and U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement officers were also on scene assisting Sedona police.

Soldier Pass Road was blocked by police north of the southern intersection of Soldier Pass Road and Shadow Rock Drive loop.

After surveilling the house and perimeter, police reportedly gained entry and conducted a search of the vacation rental, a 4,348-square-foot seven-bedroom house with 1,544-square-foot guest house, both registered to a Delaware owner, ultimately finding no second person inside.

Police flew a drone inside before sending in officers.

A puppy was taken to the Humane Society of Sedona.

The city lifted the shelter in place notice at 1:22 p.m.

“The shelter in place order issued for the Rim Shadows, Shadow Rock, and Cottages at Coffee Pot HOAs is rescinded, following a residential shooting incident in which no one was injured,” Deputy City Manager Lauren Browne stated at 1:32 p.m. “Police responded to reports of shots fired at a house on Shadow Rock Drive. Currently one suspect is in custody and the investigation is ongoing. The suspect was taken into custody for discharging a firearm within city limits.”

Discharging a firearm within municipal limits is a class 6 felony under Arizona state law.

Beaver was booked into the Yavapai County Detention Center on numerous felony charges. He was arraigned in Yavapai County Superior Court on Friday, May 22.

Arizona Revised Statute §13-3107, aka “Shannon’s Law”

Unlawful discharge of firearms; exceptions; classification; definitions

A. A person who with criminal negligence discharges a firearm within or into the limits of any municipality is guilty of a class 6 felony.

B. Notwithstanding the fact that the offense involves the discharge of a deadly weapon, unless a dangerous offense is alleged and proven pursuant to section 13-704, subsection L, section 13-604 applies to this offense.

C. This section does not apply if the firearm is discharged:

1. As allowed pursuant to chapter 4 of this title.
2. On a properly supervised range.
3. To lawfully take wildlife during an open season established by the Arizona game and fish commission and subject to the limitations prescribed by title 17 and Arizona game and fish commission rules and orders. This paragraph does not prevent a city, town or county from adopting an ordinance or rule restricting the discharge of a firearm within one-fourth mile of an occupied structure without the consent of the owner or occupant of the structure. For the purposes of this paragraph:

(a) “Occupied structure” means any building in which, at the time of the firearm’s discharge, a reasonable person from the location where a firearm is discharged would expect a person to be present.

(b) “Take” has the same meaning prescribed in section 17-101.

4. For the control of nuisance wildlife by permit from the Arizona game and fish department or the United States fish and wildlife service.
5. By special permit of the chief of police of the municipality.
6. As required by an animal control officer in the performance of duties as specified in section 9-499.04.
7. Using blanks.
8. More than one mile from any occupied structure as defined in section 13-3101.
9. In self-defense or defense of another person against an animal attack if a reasonable person would believe that deadly physical force against the animal is immediately necessary and reasonable under the circumstances to protect oneself or the other person.

D. For the purposes of this section:

1. “Municipality” means any city or town and includes any property that is fully enclosed within the city or town.
2. “Properly supervised range” means a range that is any of the following:

(a) Operated by a club affiliated with the national rifle association of America, the amateur trapshooting association, the national skeet association or any other nationally recognized shooting organization, or by any public or private school.

(b) Approved by any agency of the federal government, this state or a county or city within which the range is located.

(c) Operated with adult supervision for shooting air or carbon dioxide gas operated guns, or for shooting in underground ranges on private or public property.