Two women suffered serious injuries after police said an uninvited man attacked them shortly after midnight.
PHOENIX — A neighbor fatally shot a man who police said was stabbing two women inside a Phoenix apartment early Saturday, ending an attack that left both women hospitalized with serious injuries.
Police were called shortly after midnight July 18 to an apartment complex near 16th and Colter streets, north of Camelback Road, after residents reported hearing screams and gunfire. Officers found two wounded women inside an apartment and a man who had been stabbed and shot near a stairwell, according to police accounts provided to local news organizations.
Investigators said the man arrived at the apartment without being invited and began stabbing one of the women. A second woman tried to intervene and was also attacked, police said. Authorities described the women as relatives and said one of them had been in a romantic relationship with the man.
The women, ages 27 and 30, were taken to a hospital with severe injuries. Initial reports described their conditions as serious or life-threatening. Police had not released their names or provided a more recent public update on their conditions as of Sunday.
A neighbor heard the disturbance and entered or approached the area while the attack was continuing, investigators said. Police allege that the 26-year-old neighbor shot the attacker once while the man was stabbing the women. Officers found a knife near the wounded man, according to published reports.
Phoenix Fire Department personnel attempted to treat the man, but he was pronounced dead at the apartment complex. His name had not been publicly released pending formal identification and notification of his relatives.
The neighbor remained at the scene and was taken into police custody while detectives investigated the shooting. Police later released him pending the results of the investigation. Authorities had not announced any criminal charges against him as of Sunday.
Detectives were working to establish the complete sequence of events, including what happened before the man arrived and how the neighbor became involved. Police have not publicly identified the neighbor or disclosed whether investigators recovered surveillance video, witness recordings or other evidence from the complex.
The case is expected to be reviewed after detectives complete their investigation. Any decision about possible charges would depend on the evidence and applicable Arizona law. Police had not announced a timeline for completing the review.
Author note: Last updated July 19, 2026.