Boys witness father’s fatal shooting in Arizona road rage incident

TEMPE, Ariz. — Two young boys watched on from the backseat of a Dodge Challenger as their father was shot by another driver following a road rage situation, according to court records obtained by 12News.

Steven Bevan, 29, had been driving to pick up a new car part with his eight-and nine-year-old sons last Tuesday when Tempe police said he became engaged in road rage with the driver of a black pick-up truck.

The road rage incident ended with Bevan getting out of his car and approaching the other driver, identified as 46-year-old Dustin Jackson.

Jackson allegedly opened his door and shot Bevan in the chest.

A witness pulled Bevan’s sons from the car until police arrived.

Their mother, who asked to only be identified by her first name, Vanessa, told 12News she met her children at the crime scene near Priest Drive and Warner Road.

“A lot goes through my mind. Sadness, anger, hurt. It shouldn’t have happened, especially with kids in both vehicles,” Vanessa said.

Not only did Bevan’s sons watch their dad be shot, but one of them recorded video of it, which is now evidence in the murder investigation.

Vanessa said her son is always recording video, and just happened to be taking a video of his shoes when the incident happened.

“Nobody knew he was recording and he ended up turning around when his dad got out, turned around and just recorded from there on out,” Vanessa said.

Vanessa told 12News her family deleted the video from her son’s phone after sharing it with detectives because she never wants her children to watch it again.

But first, she watched it for herself.

“I had to see for myself how my sons’ father left, especially in front of them. It really hurt,” Vanessa said. “The cops are saying that in the video the boys were saying ‘who shot my dad.’ It wasn’t ‘who shot my dad.’ It was ‘you shot my dad.’ They knew who it was.”

Jackson was arrested on charges of first-degree murder and drive-by shooting.

In court, his attorney argued Jackson acted in self-defense, saying he feared for his life and his six-year-old daughter, who was in the backseat of his truck.

Police did not find any weapons on Bevan or in his car, according to court records.

“(Steven) didn’t deserve what happened to him at all,” Vanessa said.

Vanessa said the last 48 hours have been unimaginable for her sons.

“It just crushed my heart having to tell them that he didn’t make it,” she said. 

Vanessa said Bevan was a family man who put his three children first.

“He just loved everybody, especially his kids,” Vanessa said. “He showed my kids there’s nothing you can’t do and there’s always a way to be a better person.”

As they try to understand what happened, she said she reminds them to be strong, like their dad.

“Just remember whose heart you have and whose blood runs through your veins,” Vanessa said.

A GoFundMe page was created to help the family pay for funeral expenses. Click here to donate.