Three people dead, one critically injured at motorcycle rally at Mormon Lake

Four people shot at annual motorcycle rally "Too Broke for Sturgis" 

Flagstaff AZ- Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives are investigating a shooting that left two adult males and one adult female deceased and a forth adult female critically injured. The victims were reported to be from the Phoenix area but have not yet been identified pending notification of family members. 

The shooting occurred on Friday, July 22, at about 11:20 p.m. in a camp ground at Mormon Lake , Arizona .  It is believed that the victims were participants in an annual motorcycle rally taking place this weekend called “Too Broke for Sturgis”.

On Friday, July 22, just after 11:20 p.m. a Coconino County Sheriff’s Sergeant who was assigned to this event radioed dispatch and advised he had just heard what he believed to be a gunshot.  Shortly after that the Northern Arizona 911 Regional Reception Center received numerous 911 calls reporting the shooting and multiple victims down.  Deputies identified a camp ground where they believed the shooting occurred and detained approximately 40 people checking for victims, suspects and witnesses.  

The deputies located a camp trailer where the shooting occurred.  Three of the victims were in front of the trailer while a male was located away from the group deceased with a single gun shot wound and a handgun laying on the ground close to his hand.  The second deceased male was on the ground in front of the trailer with multiple gun shot wounds.  The two females were both seated in camp chairs in front of the trailer, one female victim was deceased and one female victim who had been shot six times was described as being in critical condition and was flown to the Flagstaff Medical Center where she is being treated.  Two other females in the area were transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center for possible shock.

Agencies responding to this shooting included the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Flagstaff Police Department, Flagstaff Police Tactical Operations Team, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue and Guardian Ground and Air Medical Transport.  This investigation is still in its preliminary stages. Detectives are looking into the incident as a possible murder-suicide. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is continuing this investigation.

Editor's note: More than 2,000 people were attending the rally at Mormon Lake, which is some 35 miles southeast of Flagstaff. The rally, sponsored by ABATE of Arizona, is in its 20th year and had its first event in 1992 near Christopher Creek. At that time, the bike games were held on Highway 260. The  ABATE's website states that the organization is "a non profit motorcycle rights organization that is dedicated to freedom of the road for all motorcyclists." 

The 2011 event, scheduled for July 22-24, was at first reported to be continuing, but a participant who came back to Payson Saturday morning said he believed the contests and bands that were scheduled to play Saturday at the "Too Broke for Sturgis" rally at Mormon Lake were cancelled.

Skyler Adams of Payson had parked his Harley Davidson in the parking lot by the Sawmill Theatre at about 11:30 a.m. He said he had just returned from Mormon Lake and was running some errands. Because he had been drinking Friday Adams said he decided to stay overnight where he was camped at Mormon Lake as many of the rally participants did.

"They were leaving this morning," Adams said. "I doubt they'll have it again next year. Many of the local residents around Mormon Lake had complained in years past." The event has been held for the past five years at Mormon Lake.