Tucson Officer-Involved Shooting Leaves 20-Year-Old Man Dead

TUCSON, AZ — An investigation was launched Tuesday after an officer was involved in a shooting in Tucson that left a young man dead, police said.

The 20-year-old was shot to death on the city's east side, the Tucson Police Department said.

The recently formed Pima Regional Critical Incident Team was called in to investigate the "criminal aspect of the shooting," and detectives and sergeants from the TPD's Office of Professional Standards (also known as IA) will handle the investigation into the officer's actions, according to TPD spokesperson Sergeant Richard Gradillas.

Gradillas said this is now standard protocol in any officer-involved shooting.

Officers were called at 5 a.m. to an apartment complex in the 8600 block of E. Old Spanish Trail, police said.

The officers said the man was causing a disturbance and may have access to weapons, Gradillas said.

Officers then found the man in a courtyard area, and one officer fired his gun, striking the suspect, according to the department.

Officers tried to save the man's life, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

No officers or any other community members were injured in the incident, the TPD said.

The man lived at the apartment complex, Gradillas said.

The TPD did not provide the suspect's name or confirm that he was armed. Nor did it provide the name of the officer involved in the shooting.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department has taken the lead in the investigation moving forward, Gradillas said.

Earlier this month, Fox 10 reported that the Pima Regional Critical Incident Team was formed to review officer-involved incidents and in-custody deaths in Pima County. The goal of the team is to increase the public trust and bring forward transparent investigations, according to sheriff's department officials.

The team will include investigators from the sheriff's department, in addition to police departments in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Pascua Yaqui, Sahuarita, South Tucson, the University of Arizona and Pima Community College, Fox 10 reported.