They Called It Random Recreational Violence. Phoenix Called It Terror.

In 2005, Phoenix, Arizona was gripped by fear as two shooters roamed the city at night, firing at anyone they came across. Cyclists, pedestrians, people sitting in cars, even animals were targeted. There was no pattern, no warning, and no way to predict who would be next. The killers gave their spree a chilling name. Random Recreational Violence.

As weeks turned into months, panic spread across neighborhoods. Police chased thousands of tips with little progress. The shooters seemed to vanish into the night after every attack, leaving investigators scrambling and residents afraid to leave their homes after dark.

The case finally cracked when one of the men made a drunken confession at a dive bar. That slip led police to Dale Hausner and Samuel Dieteman, two men who treated murder like a game. Recorded conversations revealed casual planning, dark jokes about their victims, and complaints about not getting enough recognition for their crimes.

At trial, the full scale of the horror became clear. Dieteman admitted to his role in the attacks and multiple murders. Hausner was convicted of six killings and sentenced to death. Phoenix’s year of terror finally ended, but not before dozens of lives were shattered forever.

This is the story of how randomness itself became the weapon.