ONE person was left fighting for their life after being shot in an incident involving the US Border Patrol, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.
The early-morning shooting is now under investigation, with few details released about what sparked it.
One person in critical condition after being shot in incident involving Border Patrol in Arizona (stock)Credit: Getty Images
The shooting comes three days after Border Patrol fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis (stock)Credit: Alamy
The incident happened in southern Pima County near milepost 15 of West Arivaca Road, about 45 minutes south of Tucson, at around 7:30 am on Tuesday.
The victim has not been identified.
Santa Rita Fire District said crews rushed in and transported the person in critical condition.
The department said Santa Rita Fire District and American Medical Response provided medical care at the scene.
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“Patient care was transferred to a local medical helicopter for rapid transport to a regional trauma center,” the fire department said.
What we know about the Minnesota protests…
A second US citizen was shot to death by ICE agents in Minnesota on Saturday, sparking fresh outrage towards Donald Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown
Trump and the Department of Homeland Security have blamed victim Alex Pretti’s gun for causing the shooting, while local officials are calling for a thorough investigation into the agent’s actions
The president sent his border czar to Minnesota to meet with local leaders after fellow Republicans and concerned CEOs called for a cooldown on raids
Furious protesters swarmed a hotel where ICE agents were said to have been staying, and shattered its windows
Authorities have not said what led up to the shooting.
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It’s also unclear whether any law enforcement officers were hurt.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the shooting involved Border Patrol in a post to X.
The shooting comes three days after Border Patrol fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, and weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Renee Good.
Earlier in January, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, in an interview with 12News, warned that Arizona’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which lets people use deadly force if they believe they’re in immediate danger, is a potential recipe for disaster if protesters come face-to-face with immigration officers.
“It’s kind of a recipe for disaster because you have these masked federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks,” Mayes said.
She added that ICE is “very poorly trained.”
Immigration Crisis
Jan. 27 – Southern Pima County, Arizona: One person was shot in an incident involving Border Patrol and was flown to a trauma center in critical condition.
Jan. 24 – Minneapolis, Minnesota: Alex Pretti was fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol during a federal operation.
Jan. 14 – Minneapolis, Minnesota: Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was shot and injured in an incident involving an ICE officer, according to court reporting and DHS statements.
Jan. 8 – Portland, Oregon: Luis David Nino Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras were shot and injured by U.S. Border Patrol during a traffic stop, court filings show.
Jan. 7 – Minneapolis, Minnesota: Renee Good was fatally shot by ICE officer Jonathan Ross, sparking protests and scrutiny of DHS use of force.
Dec. 24, 2025 — Glen Burnie, Maryland: Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins injured — ICE officer (unnamed)
Dec. 11, 2025 — Starr County, Texas: Isaias Sanchez Barboza killed — CBP agent (unnamed)
Oct. 30, 2025 — Ontario, California: Carlos Jimenez injured — ICE officer (unnamed)
Oct. 29, 2025 — Phoenix: Jose Garcia-Sorto injured — ICE officer (unnamed)
Oct. 21, 2025 — Los Angeles: Carlitos Ricardo Parias injured — ICE officer (unnamed)
Oct. 4, 2025 — (Place not specified): Marimar Martinez injured — CBP agent Charles Exum
Sept. 12, 2025 — Franklin Park, Illinois: Silverio Villegas González, 38, killed — ICE officer (unnamed)
“And we have a Stand Your Ground law that says that if you reasonably believe that your life is in danger and you’re in your house or your car or on your property, that you can defend yourself with lethal force.”
Federal immigration officers have shot 12 people since September as DHS has ramped up deportation operations around the country.
The recent killings by immigration agents have led to widespread protests across the country, with Minnesota being the epicenter.
Protesters have also targeted the building they believed was housing immigration agents.
Demonstrators swarmed the property within 24 hours of the fatal shooting of Pretti, turning the scene into a flashpoint overnight.
Protesters blocked off parts of the street with trash cans and other objects as they chanted anti-ICE slogans.
The demonstration escalated fast, windows were smashed and the hotel exterior was tagged with “ICE OUT,” footage showed.
As the crowd pushed toward the entrance, people inside dragged two large vending machines to barricade the doors.
The clash unfolded Sunday evening, drawing police and additional reinforcements as tensions rose.
Federal agents later deployed tear gas and chemical irritants to disperse the crowd outside the hotel.
The unrest came as President Donald Trump said he would send border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to take over the response to the crisis.
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CNN then reported that Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and several agents were expected to depart Minneapolis on Tuesday.
Bovino has also been removed from his “commander at large” role and will return to his prior post in California the DHS confirmed.
Border Patrol patrols Mount Christo Rey in El Paso, Texas (stock)Credit: Getty
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