Christopher Hoopes Charged With Killing Wife After She Allegedly ‘Startled’ Him

A man in Tempe, Arizona was arrested for fatally shooting his wife, and he told the Tempe Police Department that the shooting occurred when he was “startled” after she woke him up in the middle of the night.

Christopher Hoopes, 36, called the police at approximately 4 a.m. Friday, where they soon located the victim, Colleen Hoopes, with two gunshot wounds in her chest. She was transferred to the hospital and pronounced dead soon after, according to the police statement. He told police he woke up surprised and fired his gun before realizing he shot his wife.

Christopher was charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of unlawful discharge of a firearm. His bond was set at $750,000.

Colleen Hoopes had been a dancer for Ballet Arizona since 2017 and previously trained at the Draper Center For Music Education in Rochester, New York, and the Indiana University School of Music Ballet Department.

“Colleen was an integral part of the Ballet Arizona family and she will be missed deeply,” A spokesperson for Ballet Arizona said in a statement. “She was passionate and dedicated to her art form and a bright light to us all. Our hearts go out to her loved ones.”