Less than 24 hours after the shooting death of 21-year-old ASU student Zachary Marco, Tempe police were on the streets looking for possible leads.
Marco, a political science student, was shot in an apparent robbery attempt on the 1100 block of East University Drive around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Tempe Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Carbajal said.
On Monday afternoon, officers from the Tempe Police Department, along with 10 to 12 volunteers from Tempe Police and the ASU Police Department, were scouring apartment complexes near the crime scene, handing out fliers and attempting to gather clues that could lead to arrests.
“The fact is we’ve had a homicide in the area,” Carbajal said. “We have a suspect or suspects possibly outstanding, and we want people to know that.”
The suspect descriptions, which were released shortly before the officers and volunteers began canvassing the neighborhoods, include a black male approximately 25 years old, around 6 feet tall and with a thin build and another black male around 5 feet, 9 inches tall, Carbajal said.
“Not everyone’s going to watch the news tonight, and not everyone is going to read the paper,” Carbajal said. “So we’re going door to door.”
Tempe Police Lt. Vince Boerbon said police and volunteers would contact residents in nearby apartment complexes for two hours, or longer if necessary.
“A lot of times somebody will see something suspicious and just be on their way,” said Boerbon, a 27-year law enforcement veteran. “Usually we get some information; someone will have seen something they may have thought wasn’t crucial.”
Boerbon said police were in the apartment complex where the crime occurred, “all hours of the night,” with hopes that residents of the complex would be able to lead to an arrest.
One thousand fliers were printed to hand out to residents, Boerbon said, but police would print as many more as needed.
Boerbon said Tempe Police are working together with ASU not only due to the proximity of the incident to campus, but because he was “sure they’ll have questions from their student population.”
Police and volunteers were not only informing the public about the nature of the crime and looking for leads, but also using the opportunity to keep the off-campus student population safe, Boerbon said.
“We find that after a couple months, [students] let their guard down,” he said. “Be aware of your surroundings … there are people who will take prey, especially in this area at night.”
Tempe police urge anyone with information to call the Tempe Police Department at 480-350-8311, or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377).
Reach the reporter at mhendley@asu.edu
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