An Arizona man has been taken into custody while maintaining a claim of self-defense, following a road rage confrontation that resulted in the death of another man near a highway in the state. The suspect, William McGinty, 43, has been formally charged with one count of second-degree murder in connection with the death of a victim whose identity has not yet been publicly released.
The incident took place during the early afternoon hours along Loop 101 in Scottsdale , a partial beltway serving the greater Phoenix metropolitan area , according to the Scottsdale Police Department.
According to court documents obtained by Phoenix-based independent television station KTVK and local CBS affiliate KPHO, which broadcast jointly as Arizona’s Family, McGinty stated during a subsequent 911 call that the road rage episode began at approximately 2 p.m.
At some point during the confrontation, both the defendant and the victim brought their vehicles to a stop along 87th Street, just north of Cactus Road, according to police. It was at that location that the road rage incident escalated into a fatal shooting.
During the 911 call, McGinty allegedly stated that the other man had been “road raging” at him and that he was compelled to “defend himself.” When the 911 operator inquired as to how he had done so, McGinty allegedly responded, “my pistol.”
While acknowledging that he had shot the victim, McGinty also indicated that the other man did not appear to be carrying any weapons, according to police. Before the 911 call concluded, McGinty allegedly informed the dispatcher that he had remained inside his vehicle throughout the incident and would continue to wait there until officers arrived.
Upon their arrival, responding officers found McGinty with his hands raised outside his car window, after which he was taken into custody. The victim was discovered lying face up on the ground nearby, having sustained gunshot wounds to both his chest and back. He was transported to a local hospital, where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
During a follow-up interview with detectives, McGinty stated that the dispute originated while he was traveling along the loop and attempted to exit at Cactus Road, at which point the victim allegedly refused to allow him to merge. An altercation followed, and both men ultimately exited at Cactus Road.
McGinty further claimed that the victim cut him off by pulling sharply in front of his vehicle and parking, forcing him to stop suddenly. He told investigators that the victim then exited his car and approached McGinty’s vehicle, repeatedly demanding that he “get the f, out.”
“I don’t want no beef,” McGinty said he told the other man , while brandishing his gun and holding it against his chest, police said.
According to court documents, McGinty stated that the victim’s approach did not cease and that the man appeared to move as though he intended to strike McGinty’s window. At that point, the defendant discharged one shot. When the victim allegedly turned back toward him, McGinty fired a second shot.
McGinty further stated that his firearm malfunctioned following the first shot, requiring him to remove a screw from a suppressor attached to the weapon before he was able to fire again, according to law enforcement.
Upon examining the scene, investigators found no broken glass or physical damage to either vehicle involved, according to court documents. Additionally, a review of traffic camera footage from the area revealed “no aggressive driving behavior” on the part of either driver, police stated.
McGinty is currently being held at the Maricopa County Jail on a bond set at $1 million.
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