19-year-old accused of firing 30 rounds from AR-15 assault rifle outside Chandler mall

CHANDLER, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — A 19-year-old man was found hours after he fired dozens of rounds outside the Chandler Fashion Center on Monday, police said. According to court paperwork, Nathaniel Anthony Vensor was with two men and his girlfriend. They went through the mall together, and Vensor bought a baseball hat from the Hat Club. They then went to their cars in the parking lot.

“In this case these weapons were 5.56, which is the reason why they were so loud. People from inside the mall heard it outside thinking it was happening inside. A 5.56 caliber rifle going off 30 times can sound like a warzone and it can shake the walls of some buildings,” said Sgt. Jason McClimans with the Chandler Police Department.

At around 7 p.m., Vensor got an AR-15 assault rifle from his girlfriend’s car, pointed it at one of the men, and demanded jewelry. The victim refused, so Vensor fired 30 rounds at the man and into the air, according to court records. He then drove off with his girlfriend before the police arrived, detectives said.

On Tuesday, just after 10:30 a.m., police said Vensor returned to the mall with a friend and was seen shopping. He was unarmed and was wearing the same baseball hat he had bought the day before. He was taken into custody, and police said they found 30 fentanyl pills on him. During the police interview, Vensor appeared to be high and denied shooting the gun, court paperwork said. Vensor was booked into jail on one count of armed robbery, one count of aggravated assault, one count of possession of a weapon by a prohibited possessor, one count of possession of narcotic drugs and 30 counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Vensor’s bond was set at $75,000. Sgt. McClimans says they hope once they send in their complete investigation, Vensor’s bond will be revoked because of his criminal record.

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