Police say Jesus Lastra Perez was arrested after David Washington was killed and Washington’s 17-year-old daughter was wounded.
BUCKEYE, AZ — A 22-year-old man accused in a shooting that killed a Buckeye father and wounded his teenage daughter is the victim’s former stepson, police said as investigators worked to determine what led to the violence.
Buckeye police identified the man who died as 36-year-old David Washington and the suspect as Jesus Lastra Perez. Police said Perez is the son of Washington’s ex-wife and lived in the same home as Washington and the other people involved. Perez was taken into custody shortly after the shooting and booked into jail on a murder charge, according to police.
The shooting was reported just before 1 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at a home in the Sienna Hills area near McDowell Road and Verrado Way. Police said officers responding to reports of gunfire found Washington inside the home with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers also found Washington’s 17-year-old daughter suffering from a gunshot wound. Police provided aid until emergency medical crews arrived, and the girl was taken to a hospital. Authorities said her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Her name has not been released.
A Buckeye police sergeant who had just finished her shift was still in uniform and driving a marked patrol vehicle nearby when the shooting call was dispatched. Police spokesperson Carissa Planalp said the sergeant responded immediately. When she arrived, several people at the scene directed her toward the person they believed had fired the shots.
The sergeant gave Perez commands, and he complied before being detained without incident, police said. Additional officers then arrived and continued securing the home and treating the injured teenager. Police also said a weapon was recovered during the investigation. Authorities said there were no outstanding suspects and no ongoing threat to the surrounding community.
Investigators believe an argument or fight took place inside the home before the gunfire, according to police. Officials described the household as a large, blended family and said all of the people involved lived there. Police have not released details about what started the dispute or identified a specific motive for the shooting.
The relationship between Perez and Washington became clearer as police released additional information later Thursday. Authorities said Perez is Washington’s former stepson because his mother is Washington’s ex-wife. Investigators were continuing to interview witnesses and reconstruct what happened inside the home before the shooting.
Washington’s death and his daughter’s injury drew a large police response that remained visible in the neighborhood after sunrise. Police sought to reassure residents that the person suspected in the shooting had been detained within minutes and that authorities were not searching for another shooter.
Perez remained in custody as the homicide investigation continued. Police had not announced a motive or released additional information about the circumstances of the argument as of Friday. The case remains under investigation, and the allegations against Perez have not been proven in court.
Author note: Last updated August 28, 2026.