Phoenix, Arizona -- According to newly released court documents, a 19-year-old Phoenix man stole his mother's gun before allegedly shooting a woman he reportedly had been stalking.
Maleqe Thompson faces one count each of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, and two counts of burglary.
Thompson is accused of shooting Valerie Soto at an affordable housing facility where she worked. Soto suffered multiple gunshot wounds to her chest and torso.
Soto's co-workers told police that she and Thompson had been involved in a relationship and had broken up, but that he had been trying to contact her and was stalking her, court records stated.
On August 18th, Thompson contacted Soto inside her workplace. Witnesses told police that Soto walked him outside and he continued to follow and yell at her. She asked one of the residents to call 911 and she asked a co-worker to get her purse and car keys.
Moments later, the witnesses heard gunshots and saw Thompson jump a wall and run from the area, according to police.
Police said everything except for the shooting was captured on surveillance video. The video reportedly shows Thompson following Soto around the parking lot and building. He was observed grabbing Soto and pulling on her as he followed her.
According to the court documents, prior to the shooting, Thompson's mother contacted police to report that he had burglarized her house and took several items, including her handgun. Shell casings found at the shooting scene were the same caliber as the gun stolen from Thompson's mother.
According to the court documents, early the next morning Soto's home was burglarized and a wall was defaced with a handwritten message that said "RIP LOL."
Thompson's mother saw him at a bus stop Wednesday morning, August 24th and called police. Officers arrested him without incident. Police said Soto's son's Social Security card that was taken during the burglary was found in Thompson's pants pocket.
Thompson was on probation and was a prohibited possessor at the time of the shooting.
Thompson's bond was set at $650,000. He has a status conference on August 30th and a preliminary hearing on September 1st.
Soto remains in extremely critical condition at a hospital. According to her family, there's one bullet lodged in Soto's spine, and it's unclear if she'll ever walk again.