Arizona Border Shooting: Suspect in Serious Condition After Agent Opens Fire
An incident near the US-Mexico border in Arizona has left an accused smuggler in a serious but stable condition after being shot by a border patrol agent. The shooting occurred during a dramatic chase that involved gunfire directed at an occupied helicopter.
Chase and Exchange of Gunfire
According to authorities, border patrol agents initially attempted to stop a vehicle at approximately 7am on Tuesday. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos detailed that several individuals exited the car and fled on foot, while the vehicle itself drove away from the scene. Around thirty minutes later, agents located the same vehicle and made a second attempt to bring it to a halt.
The driver, identified as 34-year-old Patrick Gary Schlegel, then abandoned the car and ran. A border agent, whose name has not been released, pursued him on foot. During the chase, Schlegel fired shots at an occupied helicopter, as confirmed by Heith Janke, the FBI Phoenix special agent in charge. In response, the agent discharged his weapon, striking Schlegel.
Suspect's Background and Current Status
The Santa Rita Fire District responded to the scene and transported Schlegel to a regional trauma centre. Sheriff Nanos later described his condition as serious but stable. The border agent involved was not injured during the altercation.
Court records reveal that Schlegel has a significant criminal history. He was convicted in federal court in 2023 for smuggling unauthorised migrants and for possessing firearms as a felon. He received a three-year prison sentence but was transferred to an institutional facility known as Dismas Charities to serve part of his term. Schlegel escaped from this facility in 2024, according to official documents.
He is currently being held on a warrant issued for his arrest last year by the US Marshals Service. Agent Janke stated that Schlegel will likely face federal charges, including assault on a federal officer, alien smuggling, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Let me be clear, any assault on federal officers will not be tolerated, Janke emphasised during the press conference.
Broader Context and Investigations
This shooting incident occurs against a backdrop of national controversy surrounding the actions of federal immigration agents. There have been numerous allegations of excessive force and a series of shootings linked to the enforcement of mass deportation policies under the Trump administration. Notably, immigration officers have shot and killed two US citizens in Minnesota over the past month.
Both the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Office are conducting independent investigations into the Arizona shooting. As of now, neither the Department of Homeland Security nor Customs and Border Protection have issued immediate responses to requests for comment on the matter.
