Mario Franco dies in fatal Peoria sports bar shoot-out

Mario Franco dies in fatal Peoria sports bar shoot-out

Fatal Peoria shoot-out death of Mario Franco – Obituary

Mario Franco, 46, of El Mirage, was killed in a violent shoot-out outside the Deli Sports Bar in Peoria on the night of May 20. This tragic event marked the third shooting at a Maricopa County bar in under a month.

According to police reports, the incident began when Franco was denied service inside the bar due to intoxication. After being refused, he left the building, went to his vehicle, and retrieved a firearm. Franco then fired several shots into the air before shooting into the bar itself, injuring one patron who was treated at the hospital and later released.

The confrontation escalated outside the bar, where Franco aimed his weapon at a couple seated on a nearby park bench. A gunfire exchange occurred between Franco and the couple. Police arrived shortly after, finding Franco wounded. Despite emergency responders’ efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two individuals involved in the exchange outside cooperated with investigators. Following the shooting, the Deli Sports Bar and nearby businesses closed temporarily for police investigations and repairs.

Neighbors expressed surprise over the shooting, describing the bar as usually quiet aside from occasional disturbances. This incident adds to a troubling string of shootings at local bars, including two other recent attacks earlier in May in Tempe and Glendale.