The Pima County Sheriff's Department is searching for three men in connection with a shooting that killed a Tucson police recruit and left his fiancée, a corrections officer, with a gunshot wound. An arrest warrant has been issued for Alex James Barnett, 33, one of the suspects. The other two men have not yet been publicly identified.
Surveillance video released Thursday shows at least two other men, believed to be suspects, wearing black clothing. One clip shows a man at a gas station at 5405 West Valencia Road around 5:20 a.m. on Wednesday. Another clip, captured later that morning, shows an individual in a parking lot near South Palo Verde Road and East 33rd Street.
Authorities stated that the suspect vehicle, a gray Acura MDX SUV, was abandoned at the second location and recovered by police on Thursday. One of the unidentified men in the video appears to have tattoos on his arms and legs, short dark hair, and a short beard. The person seen dropping off the Acura was captured in grainy video and appeared to be wearing a sleeveless shirt.
The murder victim was identified as 23-year-old Carlos Ramirez, who was scheduled to graduate from the police academy on August 27. He previously worked as a corrections officer for the Pima County Sheriff's Department.
His fiancée, also 23, was hospitalized in stable condition. Authorities have not released her name. The couple shared a child.
The shooting occurred at Ramirez's home in the 7700 block of South Enchanted Spring Drive, approximately 17 miles southwest of Tucson. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos stated that the suspects were wearing all black clothing and ski masks at the time of the incident, which took place around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The Tucson Police Department issued a statement expressing sadness over Ramirez's death, noting he was part of Basic Recruit Class 26-1. The department extended condolences to Ramirez's family, his fiancée, and his academy classmates and staff.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department or call 911 or 520-88-CRIME.