MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — A stray bullet from a shooting range struck playground equipment at Gladden Farms Community Park in Marana on Wednesday morning, prompting an investigation and raising safety concerns among residents.
The bullet ricocheted from the Marana Shooting Club, located about a half mile from the park, and hit the monkey bars while a grandmother was playing with her 3-year-old grandson. No injuries were reported.
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"A bullet went flying over here on the right-hand side, not far, very fast, and then I heard it hit the playground behind me. Tink," Robin Taylor said.
Taylor described the frightening moments when she and her grandson ducked for cover after hearing the bullet strike the playground equipment.
Marana police confirmed the incident occurred while Sahuarita police were conducting rifle training at the range. The Sahuarita Police Department is now conducting an internal investigation to determine whether the incident was caused by user error or a safety issue with the range.
The bay where the incident occurred has been closed pending the investigation.
This marks the second time in recent years that stray bullets from the shooting range have reached public areas. In 2020, several bullets struck a baseball field at the same park complex. A coach who was filming practice videos captured the incident on camera, showing bullets hitting the field while fortunately no players were present.
"Part of the range will remain closed and until we can get them(Attorney General) to take a look at this and evaluate this situation, in addition to the one that happened in 2020 because there was an incident that happened in 2020," Terry Rozema, said.
Rozema, who is now Marana's town manager and was police chief during the 2020 incident, he said the attorney general was made aware of the previous situation.
"I think letting our community know how seriously we take this. As anxious and as worried and concerned about it as they were yesterday. All of the town officials that were involved in this yesterday were equally concerned," Rozema said. "What do we do? How do we fix this? All of those questions are questions being asked by myself, by our council...We will continue to look at this and evaluate it and come up with solutions that keep our community safe."
The shooting range has operated in Marana for over a decade, while Gladden Farms Community Park was built in 2020. The proximity of the facilities has raised concerns among parents and community members.
"We came here, and since the tape was done, we assumed that maybe the investigation had been done and it was considered safe. But there's still that hesitation that, is it going to be okay?" Noelle Rivera said.
Calley Carpenter, CEO of Abrama Airborne Manufacturing, which administers the facility, issued a statement about the incident.
"On October 15, 2025, an incident occurred in which projectiles left the confines of the range. The cause and circumstances are currently under investigation by local law enforcement. We are grateful to the Marana Police Department for their prompt response and coordination," Carpenter said.
"As the facility administrator, Abrams Airborne Manufacturing is reviewing all posted safety guidelines and strengthening existing range-safety protocols to prevent any future occurrences. The bay involved in the incident is closed pending the outcome of this review. All other areas of the facility remain open and compliant with applicable state safety requirements," Carpenter said.
The investigation will determine whether the incident was caused by user error or if safety guidelines at the range need to be changed. The park has since reopened to the public.
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