The Steven Jones NAU shooting refers to the October 9, 2015, incident in which Northern Arizona University freshman Steven Jones shot four fellow students outside a Flagstaff dormitory, killing 20-year-old Colin Brough and wounding three others. After a first-degree murder trial ended in a hung jury, Jones pleaded guilty to manslaughter and three counts of aggravated assault, was sentenced to six years in prison in February 2020, and was released on community supervision in August 2024.
What Happened on October 9, 2015
The confrontation started near an off-campus apartment complex that largely housed fraternity members. A friend of Jones rang a doorbell and ran, which triggered a verbal argument. Jones, a Sigma Chi pledge from Glendale, Arizona, was punched in the face. He ran to his Ford Mustang, parked nearby on campus, and pulled a loaded .40-caliber Glock 22 from the glove box.1azfamily.com. Ex-NAU Student Convicted in 2015 Deadly Shooting Released From Prison
He returned to the group, which had moved to a parking lot near Mountain View Hall on NAU’s north campus. NAU Police received reports of shots fired at 1:20 a.m. and had Jones in custody two minutes later.2Northern Arizona University. Statement From Northern Arizona University Regarding Shooting on Campus
Colin Brough, a junior from Colorado and a Delta Chi member, was shot twice in the chest and shoulder and died from his wounds.3ABC News. Shooting at College Party Leaves Student Dead Three other Delta Chi members, all 20, were wounded: Nick Piring was shot in the arm and hip; Nick Prato was shot in the neck and needed surgery; and Kyle Zientek was shot twice in the back, losing a kidney and suffering a punctured lung and liver damage.4Arizona Republic. What to Know About Steven Jones and the Deadly NAU Shooting in 2015
Police reports said Jones was sober. Toxicology results showed the four victims had blood-alcohol levels above Arizona’s legal driving limit, and Brough’s system also contained benzodiazepines.5Yahoo News. What to Know About Steven Jones and the Deadly NAU Shooting
The Charges and the Hung Jury
A Coconino County grand jury indicted Jones on October 16, 2015, on one count of first-degree murder and six counts of aggravated assault.2Northern Arizona University. Statement From Northern Arizona University Regarding Shooting on Campus The case went to trial in Coconino County Superior Court before Judge Dan Slayton in the spring of 2017.6KNAU. Steven Jones Sentenced to Six Years for 2015 NAU Campus Shooting
Prosecutor Ammon Barker called Jones the aggressor, saying that after the punch he had “time to cool off” but instead armed himself and acted as “judge, jury and executioner.”7Arizona Republic. NAU Shooting Case Goes to Jury Defense attorney Burges McCowan argued self-defense, telling jurors Jones faced a “mob” of intoxicated fraternity members and did not fire until he had announced he had a gun and Brough lunged from about two feet away. Jones also said he fired additional shots after students tackled him.1azfamily.com. Ex-NAU Student Convicted in 2015 Deadly Shooting Released From Prison
Jurors were told they could consider lesser charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter, or negligent homicide. They still could not agree, and on May 2, 2017, Judge Slayton declared a mistrial.8The Lumberjack (Jack Central). Judge in NAU Shooting Case Grants Motion for Defense Counsel Withdrawal
The Plea Deal and Six-Year Sentence
Prosecutors reduced the top count to second-degree murder ahead of a planned retrial. On January 9, 2020, before the retrial began, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and three counts of aggravated assault. The plea capped his exposure at five to ten years, down from a possible 25-year sentence on second-degree murder.9KNAU. Jones Pleads Guilty in NAU Campus Shooting
In February 2020, Judge Slayton sentenced Jones to six years in prison and ordered that he serve 85 percent of the term. He received credit for 212 days already served in jail. Colin Brough’s aunt, Andrea Jernegan, submitted a letter describing her nephew as “joyful and kind.”4Arizona Republic. What to Know About Steven Jones and the Deadly NAU Shooting in 2015
The Civil Lawsuit
On June 30, 2017, the parents of Brough, Piring, and Prato sued Jones, his parents Rose Anna and Warren Jones, and his father’s business, Shooter’s Choice of Arizona, in Coconino County Superior Court. The complaint alleged that Warren Jones provided the Glock 22 to his son despite knowing he was immature and prone to outbursts, and that he trained Steven in shooting techniques including targeting “center mass” and using a “double-tap” method. It also cited a 2014 injunction against harassment involving Steven Jones and behavioral complaints from his freshman year. The claims included assault and battery, aggravated negligence, negligent entrustment, and infliction of emotional distress.10Courthouse News Service. Victims Sue Over Arizona College Shooting
The case was dismissed about five months later after a confidential settlement. Each side paid its own attorneys’ fees.11Arizona Republic. Steven Jones Settles Lawsuit With Victims of NAU Shooting
Release in August 2024
The Arizona Department of Corrections released Jones on August 19, 2024, roughly a year and a half before his full sentence would have expired. He was released to community supervision, formerly known as parole, running through July 8, 2025.12ABC15. Family of 2015 NAU Shooting Victim Says the Justice System Failed Them13FOX 10 Phoenix. NAU Shooter Steven Jones Released From Prison
Jernegan told ABC15, “It’s not fair that after serving four and a half years the kid is walking the streets free as a bird,” adding, “It still really hurts. I have moments where I just break down and cry. I miss his quirkiness and his laughter and his smile.”12ABC15. Family of 2015 NAU Shooting Victim Says the Justice System Failed Them
When a reporter approached Jones, then 27, a family friend said he “was trying to move forward quietly and did not want to do an interview.”12ABC15. Family of 2015 NAU Shooting Victim Says the Justice System Failed Them
Where the Survivors Are Now
All three wounded students survived and later graduated. Nick Prato returned to San Diego for surgery to repair a shattered cranial nerve that had caused facial numbness, hearing problems, and difficulty lifting his left arm; the operation restored most sensation. As of early 2020 he was working in hotel management, and he married Abbey Norcutt in September 2019.14San Diego Union-Tribune. Wounds From a Campus Shooting Are Still Healing Nearly Five Years Later Nick Piring’s mother, Lea Piring, said in 2017 that all three survivors were still recovering from physical and psychological wounds.15FOX 10 Phoenix. Mother of NAU Shooting Victim Speaks Out
Arizona Campus Firearms Rules
The gun Jones used had been kept in his car on campus, which was legal under Arizona Board of Regents policy. That policy prohibits weapons on university property but allows firearms to be stored in a locked, privately owned vehicle where they are not visible from outside, and it remained in force through 2025. Bills to require public universities to allow concealed carry by permit holders in classrooms and dormitories have been advanced repeatedly in the state legislature. Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed such measures in both 2023 and 2024.16Everytown for Gun Safety. Arizona House Passes Reckless Legislation Legalizing Gun Silencers and Forcing Guns on Campus