Man arrested in fatal shooting at Mesa bus stop

PHOENIX – An arrest has been made following a deadly shooting at a bus stop in Mesa, authorities said Tuesday.

Mesa police arrested 44-year-old Andrew Rada for allegedly shooting 52-year-old Michelle Flippin Tuesday morning.

Around 7:30 a.m., officers responded to multiple reports of an active shooter near the Arco gas station at McKellips Road and Center Street.

Witnesses told authorities that Rada had a rifle and fired shots from the gas station parking lot.

Police later arrived and found Flippin unresponsive near a bus stop south of the gas station. She was pronounced dead.

Rada fled the scene in a burgundy Ram pickup truck before police located the vehicle with the help of witnesses and conducted a traffic stop at McKellips Road and the 202 Freeway. Rada was taken into custody and booked into prison on a charge of first-degree murder.

Another occupant of the truck was also taken into custody on a felony warrant but was not involved in the shooting.

During questioning, Rada said Flippin was brandishing a gun. However, investigators determined that Flippin was unarmed and that the two did not know each other. Investigators are not looking for additional suspects and said the incident was isolated.

No further information was provided.

The case is an ongoing investigation.

Follow @veenstra_david