Scottsdale Reels After Shooting Death of Beloved Community Member

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Scott "Scottie" Harkness loved Chuck Norris. He was a big Adam Sandler fan. And, at 59, was a natural athlete who competed and excelled in various Special Olympics sports in Scottsdale. He was chatty and kind, making friends in the Scottsdale community of people with developmental disabilities and beyond.

Harkness was shot to death early Sunday morning as he walked home from Zipps Sports Grill, where friends said he was a regular. He was found lying on the side of Camelback Road, about a half-mile from Zipps, around 1:10 a.m. Sunday, according to police.

His death leaves the close-knit community involved in Scottsdale Special Olympics and the city's Adaptive Recreation Program for people with developmental disabilities reeling.

“We’re all just saddened and shocked,” said Rafael Corbett, who has worked or volunteered for the city of Scottsdale for more than 20 years. “Just a great loss. He had some challenges of his own, but you never knew that. He was always giving his time and always involved in city things. He was a huge staple in Scottsdale, whether it was Special Olympics or Human Services. He was a very big figure there.”

Scottsdale police are asking for the public's help with any information about Harkness's death and what led up to it. Those who leave tips can remain anonymous, police said.

Those who knew him were especially shocked that Harkness was killed on his way home from Zipps, where everyone knew him.

“He really was just the sweetest guy,” Corbett said. “I can’t imagine anyone having any ill will towards him."

Deanna Zuppan, who was operations supervisor for the city's Adaptive Services for locals with disabilities until around a month ago, said she was filled with anger and sadness when she found out Sunday morning that Harkness had been killed.

"I don’t understand and I don’t know how this could happen," Zuppan said. "He was blocks away from his home."

Zuppan, who estimated she'd known Harkness for around 15 years, remembered how willing he was to help out, whether it was fixing something that was broken or assisting her in organizing Scottsdale Special Olympics uniforms.

"I remember how much he made everyone smile and laugh," Zuppan said.

Over the years, Harkness proved himself a versatile athlete for the Scottdales Special Olympics team, the Bobcats, competing in track and field, golf, bowling and softball, where he was an excellent pitcher.

Harkness played golf on a unified team, which pairs a Special Olympics athlete with an athlete without developmental disabilities. Harkness and his teammate won gold in golf every year for the last decade, Zuppan said.

Harkness always had a joke to share and loved the Adam Sandler movie "Happy Gilmore," which features Sandler as a hapless golfer.

He once ran into Sandler at a local Basha's grocery store and was "super psyched," Zuppan said.

Harkness loved track and field so much that once he decided he was too old to do so much running himself, he became an assistant coach.

He was one of the first local athletes to complete a state Special Olympics program that certified him in track and field so he could become an assistant coach. Completing the program was difficult for Harkness, since he struggled with reading and writing, Zuppan said, but he did it and helped coach Scottsdale's Special Olympics track and field team for the past six years.

"He loved coaching the teens and the kids on the team," Zuppan said.

Harness was such a Chuck Norris fan that Zuppan helped him write letters to the celebrity's public relations team to try to persuade him to come to Scottsdale to teach the Bobcats self-defense.

"'They have disabilities and there’s a lot of really, really mean people and we need to learn to defend ourselves,'" Zuppan remembered Harkness saying.

Harkness volunteered at the community center in Chaparral Park, which was a hangout spot for locals with developmental disabilities, but was most recently spending a lot of time volunteering at Club SAR, a Scottsdale gym.

Harkness was proud of his self-sufficiency, Zuppan said. He lived on his own, did his own shopping and got around by riding his bike.

Corbett initially met Harkness around 10 years ago through regular dances that Corbett organized for adults with developmental disabilities.

Harkness loved the musician Bryan Adams and was always asking Corbett to play his songs, like "Summer of '69" during the dances, Corbett said. They plan to play some Bryan Adams songs at this weekend's dance in memory of Harkness.

"Scottie was just the friendliest," Corbett said. "He was just a very happy-go-lucky and a wonderful individual. Everyone who met him loved him."

Both Corbett and Zuppan agreed that Harkness's absence would leave a hole in the Scottsdale community that would be difficult to fill.

Zuppan remembered his thoughtfulness, always making sure to buy a card and have everyone sign it when anyone on the Adaptive Services team had a birthday.

"He will forever be a Bobcat," Zuppan said.