One person was critically wounded Tuesday morning in a shooting involving U.S. Border Patrol agents in southern Arizona, prompting a multi-agency investigation led by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD).
The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. near milepost 15 on West Arivaca Road, close to the U.S.-Mexico border and about 10 miles from the community of Arivaca — an area frequently patrolled because of migrant crossings and smuggling activity. Emergency crews from the Santa Rita Fire District and American Medical Response treated the injured individual at the scene before transferring them by medical helicopter to a regional trauma center. The person’s identity and current condition have not been released.
According to the FBI, the shooting stemmed from “an alleged assault on a federal officer,” and the individual involved was taken into custody. The sheriff’s department is overseeing the use-of-force investigation at the FBI’s request, which is standard protocol when a federal agent is involved in a shooting within Pima County. The Santa Rita Fire District said: “Patient care was transferred to a local medical helicopter for rapid transport to a regional trauma center. The incident remains under active investigation by law enforcement agencies.”
The PCSD said in a statement: “We ask the community to remain patient and understanding as this investigation moves forward. PCSD will thoroughly examine all aspects of the incident, however, these investigations are complex and require time.”
Officials have not confirmed whether any law enforcement personnel were injured, and no additional details about the suspect or circumstances leading up to the shooting have been released.
The shooting adds to heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement after a series of recent officer-involved shootings across the country, including two fatal incidents in Minnesota that sparked protests and political backlash. In response, House Democratic leaders accused the Trump administration of misusing federal authority and threatened impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if she is not removed. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Noem would not step down and confirmed that border czar Tom Homan was meeting with Minnesota officials.
Editorial credit: ShutterDivision / Shutterstock.com
