Nine wounded in Tucson shooting as police shoot suspected gunman
Tucson police said officers heard gunfire downtown around 2 a.m., found an adult male suspect and shot him after giving commands.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
2 min read
Nine adults were wounded by gunfire in downtown Tucson early Sunday, and the suspected shooter was left with life-threatening injuries after police shot him at the scene, authorities said.
Frank Magos of the Tucson Police Department said at a Sunday news conference that officers were already patrolling the downtown area at about 2 a.m. local time when they heard shots and ran toward them.
According to Magos, the officers came upon an adult male suspect and issued commands more than once. One officer then fired, hitting the suspect, Magos said.
First responders treated the nine wounded people and the suspect at the scene before they were taken to hospitals, according to police. Magos said many of the victims had been shot in their arms or legs and were transported in critical condition.
Police did not release the names of the wounded people. Magos said every person struck by gunfire was an adult.
The suspected gunman was also taken to a nearby hospital, where police said he had life-threatening injuries. Magos said investigators know the suspect’s identity, but police were not making it public Sunday.
Police say the scene is large
Authorities released few details about how the shooting began, what may have led to it, or whether more than one person fired a gun before police arrived. Magos described the crime scene as “rather large,” according to Tucson police.
Asked whether investigators believe the suspected gunman shot all nine wounded people, Magos did not give a direct answer. He also did not say how many officers may have discharged weapons, telling reporters that investigators were “not quite there.”
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office will lead the investigation into the shooting, Tucson police said. The Tucson Police Department will also carry out an internal administrative review of the officer who shot the suspect.
Police said all officers who responded were wearing body cameras. Magos said the investigation is expected to take a significant amount of time.
No motive has been announced, and police have not said whether the suspect will face charges if he survives. Authorities also have not released details on the conditions of the nine wounded adults beyond Magos’ statement that many were taken to hospitals in critical condition.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.