A Phoenix man was arrested on Wednesday in connection to fatally shooting an alleged bike thief after saying he only wanted to scare him.

Alfred Lee Lopez, 38, was arrested on suspicion of a connection to the March 12 murder after police were able to track him down through surveillance footage that captured the incident.

According to court documents, just before 4:30 p.m., Phoenix police responded to the area of South Seventh Avenue and West Grant Street for reports of an injured person.

When officers arrived, Phoenix fire crews were already on the scene treating the victim, identified as Diego Lara. Lara was transported to a local hospital but was pronounced dead later that day.

Phoenix police detectives obtained video from a nearby business, according to court documents, that showed Lara at about 2:45 p.m., walking east on West Lincoln Street from South Ninth Avenue along the south side of the roadway.

According to court records, a red Jeep Patriot appeared, heading eastbound on West Lincoln Street, passing Lara before making a U-turn. A minute later, a white Toyota Camry was seen heading eastbound from South Ninth Avenue before stopping on the north side of West Lincoln Street next to Lara, the documents showed.

According to court documents, Lopez was seen exiting the driver's side door of the Camry and began to walk toward Lara.

As he did, Lara started to walk eastbound, attempting to get away from Lopez. Lara then crossed West Lincoln Street, headed to the south side of the street and continued east, according to court documents.

Lopez re-entered the Camry and began to chase Lara, according to court documents. The red Jeep was also seen again on West Lincoln Street, this time with a passenger hanging out of the front window, pointing at Lara.

In another attempt to get away, Lara turned and headed westbound on the south side of West Lincoln Street. Court documents showed that Lopez then backed up along the south side of Lincoln Street, onto the raised asphalt docking area, nearly hitting Lara and trying to corner him.

Lopez exited the white Camry again and followed Lara eastbound on foot, according to court documents. Lopez then pulled out a handgun and shot at him twice, striking him in the torso, according to police.

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A forensic imaging specialist with the Phoenix police department was tapped by detectives to review the footage and pull the plate numbers of the vehicles seen. In doing so, detectives were able to locate the red Jeep at the registered owner's address.

According to court documents, undercover detectives searched the area around the Jeep's residence and located the corresponding white Toyota Camry parked under a covered parking space, a short walk north of the red Jeep's location.

Detectives obtained the Camry's VIN and, through a motor vehicle check, determined it to have been stolen out of Phoenix earlier in January.

Through the course of the investigation, detectives observed Lopez arrive in a black SUV registered to the owner of the Jeep, to whom he is also related. Detectives completed a records check on Lopez and located a tattoo on his right upper arm, matching the driver of the SUV.

According to court records, Lopez wore a bracelet on his right wrist, a watch on his left, a necklace and more distinct jewelry, all matching the video evidence of the shooter.

On March 15, detectives began following the white Toyota Camry and saw Lopez operating the vehicle. Lopez was taken into custody shortly after.

According to court documents, Lopez told police that he had no recollection of what he did on March 12 and did not know anything about the Camry.

Detectives then spoke with the two subjects from the red Jeep, who told them that they had been at home when they noticed Lara enter their property and steal a bike.

The two then entered the Jeep, hoping to track down Lara and get their bike back, according to police. Court documents state that the two eventually tracked down Lara near Ninth Avenue and West Grant Street, where they verbally confronted Lara, leading him to put the bike down and run off.

As they put the bike back into their Jeep, Lopez arrived in the white Camry, asking where Lara had gone, according to police. Lopez then drove off after him and the two followed after Lara, court records stated.

When they found Lopez, he was outside the Camry on the side of the road, yelling at Lara, according to court records. The red Jeep occupants told officers they tried to tell Lopez they had already recovered the bike, but Lopez continued his pursuit, police said.

As the two drove off, they said they heard a gunshot. According to court documents, Lopez later told the driver of the Jeep that he shot at Lara to scare him.

Lopez has since been booked into jail and is facing charges of one count of first-degree murder, one count of kidnapping, one count of possession of a weapon by a prohibited person and one count of theft.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix man arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting alleged bike thief