A 16-year-old boy shot and killed an accomplice in a failed armed robbery this week in midtown, Tucson police say.
Cesar Suarez Ortiz was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of multiple felony counts in connection with the deadly July 10 shooting of 17-year-old Jose Salcedo, police said Thursday in a news release.
The shooting happened late Monday afternoon after police say the pair met two people behind a grocery store near South Country Club Road and East 24th Street.
During the meeting, Salcedo and a partner tried to rob the pair at gunpoint. The two people fled in their vehicle, gunfire erupted and Salcedo was shot, police said in the news release.
The two who fled then called police and were interviewed by detectives.
About 5:30 p.m. Monday, officers were called about a shooting and an unresponsive male in the road in the 1400 block of South Winmor Avenue, just south of Reid Park. Salcedo died at the hospital.
Ortiz was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Pima County jail on suspicion of first degree murder, two counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated robbery, and two counts of aggravated assault. Bond was set at $1 million.
Anyone with information is asked to call 88-CRIME, the anonymous tipster line.
Tucson police say there have been 38 homicides in the city so far this year. There were 44 homicides in Tucson at the same time in 2022.
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