A man has been sentenced to prison for a series of violent attacks targeting homeless individuals at a Phoenix park, including a shooting that left one victim permanently paralyzed, according to prosecutors.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said 26-year-old Isaiah Adams was sentenced to 19 years in state prison, followed by four years of supervised probation, after pleading guilty to four felony charges:
conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs for sale
possession of dangerous drugs
In June 2024, while out on pretrial release for a drug sales charge, Isaiah Adams attacked a man sleeping at La Pradera Park near 39th and Glendale avenues by kicking him in the face and ribs to wake him, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. As the man tried to flee, Adams shot him in the back, leaving him permanently paralyzed.
Just nine days later, prosecutors said Adams fired at least nine rounds at another homeless individual, striking the person in the foot.
Adams was arrested 10 days after while driving a stolen vehicle and in possession of illegal drugs, according to the county attorney’s office.
“This predator didn’t just commit random acts of violence, he deliberately targeted the most vulnerable people in our community,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell in a statement. “He shot, paralyzed, and terrorized individuals who were simply trying to survive. This kind of cruelty is beyond cowardly, and it has no place in Maricopa County.”
Adams was sentenced on June 24, according to court records.
His criminal history dates back to a 2017 case in which he was initially charged with theft but later pleaded guilty to a lesser offense.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man sentenced in shooting of homeless around Phoenix