A family gathering in Whiteriver, Arizona, ended in a fatal shooting on December 10, 2022. Eric Tenijieth, 36, was shot and killed on his family’s property on White Mountain Apache tribal land just after midnight while his brother Matt, who was helping deliver a Christmas tree, was also shot and seriously injured. The family described the attack as a random act of violence.

Two men, identified as Joshua Perez and Angelo Kums, reportedly wandered onto the property and opened fire. Both men were said to have criminal histories and to be armed and dangerous. A manhunt followed; the tribal council imposed a temporary emergency curfew from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Kums was arrested the night after the shooting and Perez the following morning.

The family expressed gratitude for law enforcement’s and the community’s role in capturing the suspects and now seeks justice for Eric. If anyone witnessed the events on the Tenijieth property that night or has information, please come forward.