Man who shot 2 Tucson officers was sought in connection with bat attack

When Jose N. Barron Gomez did not show up for a court hearing Nov. 23 in connection with aggravated assault charges, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On Thursday, two Tucson police officers who were tracking down fugitives went to a side-side apartment to arrest Gomez for violating the terms of his release.

As they tried to arrest him inside the apartment the two officers exchanged gunfire with Gomez, police said, leaving Gomez dead and the two officers wounded — one critically.

On Friday, Tucson police said that officer — Jorge “George” Tequida, a four-year veteran, remained in critical condition at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson.

Tequida underwent surgery, after he was shot in the shoulder and the bullet went through his arm and into his chest, said Tucson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Pete Dugan.

Police Chief Chris Magnus said Tequida’s vest may have saved his life — another round hit him directly in the chest.

“One round embedded in vest center chest,” Magnus tweeted Thursday night.

Tequida continued to make progress and was in stable but critical condition Friday in the intensive-care unit of Banner-UMC Tucson, Dugan said.

Officer Doug Wilfert was shot in the lower leg during the exchange of gunfire.

Wilfert, a seven-year veteran, was released from the hospital Thursday after being treated for his injuries and was “doing well” as of Friday, Dugan said.

The shootout with Gomez, 27, took place shortly before 7 a.m. at the Campbell Terrace Apartments, 4750 S. Campbell Ave., near East Irvington Road.

Chief Magnus told reporters Thursday that the shooting occurred inside the apartment where the officers were serving the warrant.

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He said the incident highlights the danger officers face every day when there are “dangerous individuals out there willing to shoot police officers over arrest warrants.”

The criminal case for which Gomez was wanted began Aug. 23, when Gomez was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

An interim complaint filed in court by police said Gomez and his girlfriend of eight years had recently broken up and that Gomez went to her apartment to “visit the children” and saw another man holding his daughter, the complaint says.

“So he got upset,” the complaint states.

“When the victim left the apartment, Gomez confronted him and struck him on the back with a baseball bat, with minor injury,” the complaint states.

The man who was struck defended “himself by displaying a gun,” the complaint states.

After his arrest, Gomez was released to the Pretrial Services division of Arizona Superior Court.

Superior Court records show that Gomez was required to appear at a case management conference Nov. 23 in front of Superior Court Judge Jane Eikleberry.

Online records from the Nov. 23 hearing show that Gomez did not appear for the hearing.

His attorney told the court he did not know Gomez’s whereabouts.

Prosecutors said his failure to show up for the hearing, violated terms of his Pretrial Services release and asked for an arrest warrant to be issued.

The warrant was issued that day, records show.