Tucson suspect shoots paramedics, police and firefighters in series that leaves one dead, four injured

An armed man who shot paramedics, firefighters and police at three locations in Tucson, Ariz. On Sunday afternoon killed a civilian and injured four.

In what Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus called “an extremely complex series of incidents,” another person was killed in a house fire and two or three children were missing.

The call regarding a house fire in South Tucson came first, at 3:46 p.m., Magnus said. Three minutes later, police learn that a man pulled over an ambulance that responded to an unrelated medical call at Quincie Douglas Park, about a mile away.

The driver and passenger paramedics were hit, but one was able to call police and describe the suspect and the vehicle he left in, Magnus said.

One of the paramedics, a 20-year-old man, was shot in the head and hospitalized in critical condition, while the other, a 20-year-old woman, was shot in the chest and arm and was in stable condition.

Back at the scene of the house fire, firefighters and neighbors were working to bring the flames under control when the suspect arrived and began shooting them.

A neighbor was shot in the head and killed, while a fire captain was shot in the arm and is in good condition, Magnus said. Another neighbor’s head was grazed by a bullet, and it is in good condition.

As the suspect was leaving the scene of the fire, an officer spotted him, but the suspect crashed into the officer’s vehicle, stopped him and started shooting him. The officer retaliated and punched the suspect, who was not identified. The 35-year-old is hospitalized in extremely critical condition, Magnus said. The officer who shot him was not injured.

Another person was found badly burned and dead in the fire. The relationship between this person and the suspect is unknown.

Two or three children associated with the house are also missing, Magnus said. Their relationship to the suspect is also unknown.

“This is both a very tragic and truly horrific incident with many unknowns at the moment which will involve a long and complex investigation,” said Magnus.