Tanger Outlets shooting: Man sentenced to 8 years in prison

PHOENIX - A man has been sentenced to prison for a shooting at a Glendale mall that left multiple people hurt, including a 4-year-old child.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced on Jan. 19 that Raul Franco has been sentenced to 8 years and 10 months in prison in connection to the shooting that happened on March 23, 2022, at the Tanger Outlets, near the Westgate Entertainment District.

Investigators say Franco exchanged gunfire with a group of people during an altercation at the mall. Four people, including three children, were hurt.

Franco was 17 years old at the time of the shooting but was charged as an adult.

Raul Franco

"Not only did this defendant’s actions harm innocent people, he also caused panic and fear for hundreds who were simply out shopping that day," said Mitchell. "The irreparable damage left behind cannot be erased. It is my is hope that this sentencing brings closure to those who will never forget that day."

MCAO says the sentencing stems from two cases, one by Maricopa County prosecutors, and the other by the Arizona Attorney General's Office.