One person was critically injured and taken into custody after an officer-involved shooting near Arivaca, Arizona, on Jan. 27; the patient was airlifted to a regional trauma center. The FBI said it is investigating an "alleged assault on a federal officer," while the Pima County Sheriff’s Department will lead the use-of-force investigation at the request of federal authorities. The incident arrives amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement after several recent shootings, including two high-profile Minnesota cases that produced conflicting accounts and public calls for transparent investigations.
Border Patrol Shooting Near Arivaca Leaves One Critically Injured; FBI and Pima County Open Investigations
A U.S. Border Patrol vehicleHUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty
One person is in critical condition after an officer-involved shooting that included a U.S. Border Patrol agent on Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the unincorporated community of Arivaca, Arizona, just north of the Mexico border.
Incident and Emergency Response
The Santa Rita Fire District (SRFD) said crews responding to the scene found a person in custody who was critically injured. Emergency personnel provided immediate medical care and the patient was airlifted by medical helicopter to a regional trauma center, according to an SRFD news release.
Investigation Under Way
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) said it was asked by federal authorities to investigate a shooting involving a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agent in Arivaca. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) requested the department’s assistance earlier the same day, and PCSD said it will lead the use-of-force portion of the probe while the FBI conducts its federal inquiry.
“Such requests are standard practice when a federal agency is involved in a shooting incident within Pima County and consistent with long-standing relationships built through time to promote transparency,” PCSD said in its statement. The department asked the public for patience, noting these investigations are complex and take time.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos was scheduled to hold a media briefing about the agent-involved shooting on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. local time. The FBI told People the bureau’s inquiry focuses on an "alleged assault on a federal officer" and confirmed the subject was taken into custody; it declined to provide additional details about the injured person or the events that led to the shooting. People contacted the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Santa Rita Fire District for comment.
Context
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement. NBC News reported that federal immigration officers have shot 12 people since September amid expanded enforcement efforts. Two recent high-profile cases in Minnesota — the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — drew public attention, conflicting accounts, and calls for transparent investigations.
In the Renee Good case, cellphone video showed an agent firing into Good’s vehicle after she encountered ICE activity; officials have offered differing characterizations of the encounter, and experts questioned whether the use of deadly force was justified. In the Alex Pretti case, the Department of Homeland Security said Pretti approached agents with a firearm and resisted; independent video and eyewitness accounts described Pretti as standing with his hands visible and holding a phone. Medical witnesses and bystanders reported delays in providing aid to Pretti. Both Minnesota incidents prompted federal reviews and public calls for clear, transparent investigations.
Authorities in the Arivaca case have not released body-camera footage or additional details about what precipitated the shooting. Officials say they will provide more information as the investigations progress.
Help us improve.
