Neo-Nazi among 5 dead in AZ shooting

By AMANDA LEE MYERS, Associated Press

GILBERT, Ariz. (AP) -- Police on Thursday identified one of the five people killed in a shooting in a Phoenix suburb as a former Marine with ties to neo-Nazi and Minutemen groups.

Jason Todd Ready, 39, organized a militia in the Arizona desert with the goal of finding illegal immigrants and drug smugglers.

Known as "JT," Ready outfitted himself with military fatigues, body armor and gas masks, and carried assault rifles during patrols for illegal immigrants in the desert south of Phoenix.

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The four others killed in Wednesday shootings in a home in Gilbert include 16-month-old Lily Lynn Mederos, 23-year-old Amber Nieve Mederos, 47-year-old Lisa Lynn Mederos and 24-year-old Jim Franklin Hiott.

Media reports that Lisa Mederos was Ready's girlfriend and Amber and Lily were her daughter and granddaughter.

Police have said the gunman was among the dead but have not identified that person. Police plan a news conference to discuss the case.

Gilbert police spokesman Sgt. Bill Balafas has said that all the evidence points to the shooting being related to domestic violence. He didn't elaborate. Officers have recovered two handguns and a shotgun.

The shootings occurred Wednesday afternoon in a subdivision filled with stucco homes with red-tile roofs.

Balafas said two men were dead outside the home and two women were dead inside. A girl between 1 and 2 years old was found inside the home showing signs of life when police initially responded to the scene, but she later died at a hospitals me mad. I can't have children, and you have other people doing things that are insane."

Gary Davis, who also lives in the neighborhood, said, "There's no excuse for taking a child's life." "Nothing ever happens in this neighborhood," Davis said. "It's a shock to us