A 39-year-old Tucson man has been identified as the alleged gunman who shot and wounded a deputy Tuesday during a foot chase on Tucsonβs southwest side, authorities say.
Gabriel Angel Altamirano, one of the two men authorities say were involved in the βambushβ of a Pima County Sheriffβs Department deputy, had evaded capture since he ran away from the shooting scene in the 5000 block of West Jeffrey Road, near West Valencia Road and South Camino de Oesta.
The second man was taken into custody later in the day Tuesday but had not been identified Wednesday afternoon.
Deputy Augustine Gonzalez was said to be in stable condition at a local hospital, where heβs being treated for a gunshot wound to the leg, authorities say.
The initial call began about 10 a.m. in which investigators say Altamirano was in an argument with a former girlfriend, Rebecca Lynn Rodriguez, in which heβs accused of threatening to kill her, Sheriff Chris Nanos said Wednesday in a news conference.
Altamirano was βgetting roughβ with Rodriguez, pushing her around as well as waving and βgetting stupidβ with the gun inside her mobile home, the womanβs sister, Rosa Linda Rodriguez, who lives on the same property, told the Star in an interview Wednesday. Rodriguez said Altamirano tried to hit her with a vehicle, then cut the brake line of his ex-girlfriendβs car before fleeing.
Rodriguez said her sister and Altamirano were involved βon and offβ for about five years, but they broke up for good in December. However, she said, he is in the area on a regular basis and that domestic violence incidents occur regularly.
βThis is an everyday thing β them arguing and fighting, him leaving and then coming back all strung out on his drugs, roughing her up and pulling his weapon. (Itβs) just another morning,β Rodriguez said. βBut this time, he went overboard when he backed up his car and then tried to hit me.β
Gonzalez, the deputy, recognized Altamiranoβs vehicle when the man returned to the area about noon, Nanos said. Altamirano drove off but crashed into a car, Nanos said. He and his companion then ran away, the sheriff said, and Gonzalez gave chase.
At some point during the chase, Altamirano hid in some bushes and shot at the deputy, striking Gonzalez in the leg, Nanos said.
Altamirano escaped the area despite a convergence of deputies and officers from several law enforcement agencies.
Altamirano, a convicted felon, is prohibited from having weapons. He was convicted of drug charges in December 2022 and weapons misconduct in October 2017, court records show. Altamirano is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached, authorities say.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
The multi-agency Pima Regional Critical Incident Team has been activated to handle the criminal investigation, with the Tucson police department taking the lead role in the investigation. A separate internal probe will investigate whether policies were followed in the shooting, which is standard practice.
