The man accused of shooting a court security guard outside the federal courthouse in downtown Phoenix Tuesday is James Lee Carr, according to court documents obtained by Arizona’s Family on Wednesday. The complaint filed in United States District Court for the District of Arizona lists two counts against Carr – assault on a federal officer and a gun charge.
The complaint filed in court says Carr called his brother and told him about the shooting. The brother told investigators that he contacted Carr’s son and ex-wife and told them Car “was sitting in Verde Park.” Court documents say the son and ex-wife corroborated that information.
The pair told investigators that they went to the park and saw Carr wearing a suit, dress shoes, and a fedora. They said he had a revolver and a rifle with him. According to court documents, as Carr’s son and ex-wife approached him in the park, he said, “Tell them not to [expletive deleted] with me.”
Investigators said Carr’s son told him that “he snapped and shot a security guard … because the security guard was harassing him.” The son also told investigators that his father had mental issues and it was unusual that he was wearing a suit.
“The arresting officer heard James mutter something about blowing something up,” the criminal complaint reads. “After James was taken into custody, a law enforcement officer was testing James’ left hand for potential gunshot residue when James stated, ‘That’s not the hand I shot with.’”
Investigators later spoke with Carr’s neighbors, one of whom said Carr “appeared to be very angry and agitated Tuesday morning.” That neighbor said he thought Carr was going to kill himself but then saw him leave his apartment dressed in suit and holding a rifle and a revolver.
Another of Carr’s neighbors told investigators “that James is an alcoholic, smokes marijuana, and has mental health issues," according to court documents.