One law enforcement officer was killed and two others were injured Monday morning in a shooting at the Amtrak train station in Downtown Tucson.
The incident occurred near 400 N. Toole Ave. around 8 a.m., when agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration boarded a passenger train as part of a periodic sweep for illicit substances and weapons. Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus stated during a press conference that the agents were part of a regional alliance between the DEA and the Tucson Police Department known as the Counter Narcotics Alliance.
According to Magnus, after the agents entered the train, two passengers on the second floor of the double decker train car reacted to their appearance. They detained one of the suspects, during which the other suspect, a Hispanic male around his 20s or 30s, produced a handgun and opened fire on the officers.
Several shots were exchanged between the suspect and officers. One DEA agent was killed in the gunfight, and another was severely injured. A Tucson police officer was injured as well.
Following the exchange of fire, one of the suspects barricaded himself within a bathroom on the train, where he was later found deceased. It is uncertain whether the suspect took his own life or was shot by law enforcement.
Live web cameras located near the station platform at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum captured the incident and portrayed the violent exchange of gunfire between one of the suspects on the train and an officer with a police dog on the platform.
Magnus confirmed that the seriously injured DEA agent was evacuated in a patrol car to Banner University Medical Center. The injured TPD officer was transported by EMS to the same hospital and is in stable condition.
Out of the 137 passengers and 11 crew members on board the Sunset Limited 2 passenger train, none were injured in the incident.
In a statement released to the public, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said, “The shooting that took place this morning at our downtown train station was an absolutely shocking act of violence. I ask all Tucsonans to join me in praying for the deceased DEA officer and for the swift recovery of the law enforcement officers who were injured.”
Romero added that she has ordered flags at all city facilities to half staff to honor the actions of the deceased and injured officers.
Follow Vic Verbalaitis on Twitter
