Man shot to death at Tempe intersection was ASU student who had plans to work at Intel

TEMPE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) – We’re learning more about the shooting in Tempe late last week that ended in a man being shot and killed at a Tempe intersection. Police identified the victim as Agamyrat Agambayev, who was an immigrant from Turkmenistan who was finishing up his second Ph.D. at ASU,

Arizona’s Family has now learned that Agambayev is leaving behind a wife and a two-year-old son. His family says the day before he died, he realized he had passed his background check to work at Intel as an engineer. Agambayev was reportedly returning from an immigration lawyer’s office with documentation for his mother-in-law when he was shot and killed near the intersection of Kyrene and Guadalupe.

His wife had spoken to him just ten minutes before it happened. “He was always smiling,” said Agamyrat’s wife, Sumeyra Agambayev. “He had a real bright future,” said Sumeyra. She said he was dedicated, smart, and studied tirelessly for years at universities to start giving back to the community here and abroad in Turkmenistan. “This is a time he was about to finish Ph.D. and accept a job at Intel, a prestigious company. He was about to give back to the community,” said Agamyrat’s friend, Vepa Gaiypov.

Police said the suspect, identified as Anthony Andrew King, was driving a stolen blue car. Witnesses say he shot Agamyrat to death in his red Camry in what appears to be an attempted carjacking near Kyrene and Guadalupe on Friday night around 530. Investigators said a patrol car pulled up, the officer thought at first it was a car accident, but then police said King started shooting at the officer, ran away, and started firing some more. King allegedly attempted to carjack another car, but he surrendered to the police when he was unsuccessful. At this time, King faces several charges, including murder and aggravated assault on an officer.

“When people look at the news, they probably say ‘oh this is another kind of incident,’ but it’s not like that,” said Agamyrat’s friend, Mustafa Konus. “On one side, you have this innocent man, brilliant man. “On the other hand, an idiot doesn’t know what he is doing.” Friends vowed to be there for Sumeyra and the 2-year-old. “He was so nice, he was so kind, he was the best human being I ever faced,” said Sumeyra.

Azat Meredov, a close friend of Agamyrat, said he was a gentle and caring person who always tried his best to help everyone around him. “His caring heart was always admired among his peers. He always projected positive energy to his environment with his optimistic and joyful outlook on life,” Meredov said in an email to Arizona’s Family.

Meredov said he had been friends with Agamyrat since childhood, going to the same high school and ASU. Agamyrat was very sociable and even cared for stray animals. “I can never forget his smile as he was always smiling and happy,” Meredov said. If you would like to help, click here.

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