1 person in critical condition after exchanging gunfire with Border Patrol agents in Arizona, source says
By Holmes Lybrand, Alisha Ebrahimji, Elise Hammond, CNN
(CNN) — A suspect is in critical condition after exchanging gunfire with US Border Patrol agents and firing at a federal helicopter during a pursuit in Arizona near the US-Mexico border early Tuesday, according to a federal law enforcement source.
Federal agents were attempting to stop a pickup truck near Arivaca, Arizona, shortly after 7 a.m. local time, the source said. The person in the car did not pull over and eventually got out and ran, according to the source.
The suspect fired at an Air and Marine Operations helicopter and at Border Patrol agents. Agents returned fire, the source said, striking the driver.
The person was treated at the scene and taken to a local hospital in a medical helicopter, according to a statement from the Santa Rita Fire District, which responded to the incident. The driver was in custody and critical condition when officials arrived, the fire district said.
The FBI requested the Pima County Sheriff’s Department’s help to lead the use-of-force investigation involving the agent and is conducting a parallel investigation, the department said in a news release. The Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility is also looking into the shooting, according to the law enforcement source.
“We ask the community to remain patient and understanding as this investigation moves forward,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said. “PCSD will thoroughly examine all aspects of the incident, however, these investigations are complex and require time.”
The FBI is investigating “an alleged assault on a federal officer,” Brooke Brennan, a spokesperson for the agency’s Phoenix field office, said.
CNN has reached out to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and US Customs and Border Protection for more details.
Arivaca, where the shooting happened, is home to about 600 residents and is located an hour south of Tucson. It is about 10 miles north of the border.
Last year, federal officers were involved in 106 use-of-force incidents along the Tucson sector of the southern border, according to CBP statistics. These incidents occurred during CBP operations, data shows, and most involved a vehicle or vessel. The sector runs across most of Arizona, from the New Mexico state line to the Yuma County line, CBP says. So far this year, there have been 27 use-of force-incidents involving federal agents in the same region, data shows.
The shooting comes amid heavy public scrutiny of the Department of Homeland Security. There is no known indication that the agents involved were part of the department’s ongoing immigration crackdown.
Just a few days ago, federal officers shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. It was the second deadly shooting by federal law enforcement in the city since a surge of personnel was sent to Minnesota earlier this month.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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