April Loza, the fiancée of Kevin Richardson, has provided a detailed account of the June 28 incident in Mesa that resulted in the deaths of two men and injured two others. Richardson, 47, died by suicide after a shooting spree that began at a hotel pool party and moved to a residential home near Lindsay and Brown roads. Mesa is located approximately 16 miles northwest of Queen Creek.
Loza stated that the situation escalated after an argument at the pool party. She left to retrieve her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend, Michael Gusty, intending to pack belongings and allow Richardson time to calm down. Upon their arrival at the Mesa residence, which the couple had purchased nine months prior, they found Richardson waiting inside wearing tactical gear and aiming a rifle at them.
Gusty, 32, attempted to de-escalate the situation by telling Richardson they were leaving. As the group moved toward their vehicles, Loza reported hearing two shots. Richardson began firing at the group, and Loza noted she was unsure how her vehicle avoided being hit. Gusty reportedly tried to distract Richardson while attempting to draw his own weapon. Loza said Richardson then fired into the side of Gusty’s red pickup truck, killing him.
Mesa police confirmed on July 1 that Gusty was fatally shot and identified Richardson as the shooter. A police spokesperson stated that Richardson also fired at a police helicopter before taking his own life in front of the home. Detectives noted that Richardson changed magazines multiple times during the assault.
Kitty Kister, 22, who lives across the street, said her father and 14-year-old brother were injured when they stepped outside to investigate the commotion. Her father sustained a leg wound and a graze near his elbow, while her brother was shot in the wrist. Kister, who was standing between them, was uninjured. Both men were hospitalized and are expected to recover. Kister provided images showing bullets penetrating the walls of her home, a window, and the garage, damaging a family van parked inside.
