Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild was carjacked at gunpoint in midtown Saturday morning.
Shortly before 11 a.m., the mayor was leaving his home when he was greeted by a man holding a pistol, who demanded to know where his car was parked, Rothschild told the Star.
Rothschild said that he pointed to his city-owned Toyota Prius and the man demanded he hand over the keys.
The mayor complied, and the carjacker left the scene in the Prius.
Rothschild, who did not have a security detail with him, was not injured and says he's doing fine.
At about 7 p.m. Saturday, police said the car had been recovered, but provided no other updates. The carjacker is still at large, said Tucson Police Department spokesman, Sgt. Pete Dugan.
Rothschild said Saturday night that the Prius was found abandoned a couple of hours after the carjacking. It was found at 36th Street and Forgeus, several miles from his house, he said.
Robbery detectives with the Tucson Police Department are investigating the incident and have learned that prior to his run-in with the mayor, which happened in the area of North Tucson Boulevard and East 5th Street, the suspect unsuccessfully tried to take another car, Dugan said.
He also had a "small altercation" with a mail carrier before his confrontation with the mayor, leading police to believe that he wasn't targeting Rothschild, Dugan said.
"I've lived in the city for a very long time and I've never been a victim of any serious crime," Rothschild said.Β "Although we live in a safe community, this can happen at any time."
