MESA, AZ – In an unexpected twist to a domestic disturbance, a 72-year-old woman is accused of shooting her 38-year-old son during an argument about noise levels while he played video games. The incident unfolded in Mesa, a suburb near Phoenix.
Police reports indicate that Hazel Benson was taken into custody on Saturday night following the confrontation at her home. Upon arrival, officers discovered her son with a gunshot wound to his stomach, although his injuries were not life-threatening.
Court documents describe Benson’s admission that she fired the gun during the altercation, which she afterwards discarded into a canal. She explained that the dispute began with her son’s noise levels, which escalated when she blocked his entrance back into the house after a walk meant to de-escalate tensions.
As the disagreement intensified, Benson allegedly shot her son when he approached her with what she described as “fists raised.” According to Benson, the chaos of the moment left her uncertain about the exact number of shots fired.
Earlier the same evening, police responded to a separate disturbance at Benson’s residence, also tied to ongoing noise complaints related to the son’s activities.
The charges against Benson include aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, and the illegal discharge of a weapon within city confines. These developments have stirred the quiet neighborhood, about 20 miles southeast of Phoenix, which typically doesn’t report such events.
Residents express disbelief over the altercation. One neighbor recounted how they’d never seen any trouble from the household before, while another resident, Chris Hammound, was startled by the sound of multiple gunshots. The community remains shocked, trying to reconcile their perceptions of the benign elderly woman with the violent incident.
The victim is recuperating in the hospital and is predicted to fully recover. Meanwhile, the case raises questions about the pressures of cohabitation and managing domestic disputes.