Photo: Alamy
A man was shot Tuesday morning in an exchange of gunfire with U.S. Border Patrol agents near the U.S.-Mexico border in southern Arizona, authorities said, leaving him in critical condition and prompting a multi-agency investigation.
The shooting occurred around 7:30 a.m. near Arivaca, a small community in Pima County about 10 miles from the border, when Border Patrol officers attempted to stop a vehicle linked to an alleged human trafficking case, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. The driver fled on foot, and shots were fired during the encounter, leading to agents returning fire and striking the man, who was later hospitalized following surgery.
“We ask the community to remain patient and understanding as this investigation moves forward,” the PCSD said in a statement. “PCSD will thoroughly examine all aspects of the incident, however, these investigations are complex and require time.”
The suspect, identified by FBI officials as 34-year-old Patrick Gary Schlegel, was also reported to have fired at a Customs and Border Protection helicopter and at agents during the pursuit, authorities said. Schlegel was believed to have an active warrant in connection with a smuggling investigation and had previously escaped custody.
He was airlifted to a trauma center in serious but stable condition, and federal investigators say he is expected to face multiple charges, including assault on a federal officer and human smuggling.
The shooting is now under investigation by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at the request of the FBI, a standard procedure when a federal agent is involved in a use-of-force incident in the county. Authorities have asked the community to be patient as they gather facts and review evidence.
The incident comes just days after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an anti-ICE protester who was killed during a confrontation with law enforcement in Minneapolis last weekend. Officials have said Pretti had a firearm during the encounter and that video showed an officer firing at him as events unfolded, and DHS has publicly supported the actions of its agents.
Pretti’s death was the second fatal shooting connected to the federal immigration enforcement presence in Minneapolis in recent weeks, coming after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good during a separate incident.