UPDATE:
Seventeen people have been detained in the search for suspects in Fridays shooting of Pinal County Sheriffs Deputy Louis Puroll by suspected drug smugglers in an isolated area of south-central Arizona.
Pinal County Lt. Tami Villar says 14 of those detained are suspected of being illegal immigrants, while three match the description given of the shooters give by Puroll.
The 14 suspected illegal immigrants are being held by Border Patrol, while the three suspects are being questioned by the Pinal Sheriff’s office.
A massive hunt of 100 square miles that included helicopters with night-vision equipment and more than 200 officers, including SWAT teams, from 13 agencies was still pursuing the shooters late Friday.
Original Post
AzCentral reports a Pinal County Sheriff’s deputy was shot in the stomach Friday after a traffic stop on Interstate 8, according sheriff’s officials.
Authorities said the deputy was shot by a suspected undocumented immigrant and at least two suspects were being sought.
The deputy apparently pulled over a vehicle on Interstate 8 near Arizona 84 at about 4:30 p.m. Friday.
[…]
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office dispatched a helicopter and members of its SWAT team to Pinal County to assist in the case, said MCSO Lt. Brian Lee. Lee said at 5:45 p.m. there were reports over the police scanner that suspects were shooting at a police helicopter. Lee did not know which agency was operating the helicopter.
The Border Patrol has sent agents to assist the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation, said Mario Escalante, a Border Patrol spokesman assigned to the Tucson sector.
Arizona Mexico Border Area
Update – Source AZ Central.Com
Five Hispanic men authorities described as drug smugglers shot a Pinal County Sheriff’s deputy Friday afternoon when the officer came upon them and a large amount of marijuana in a remote part of south-central Arizona.
The area where the shooting took place, near the intersection of Interstate 8 and Arizona 84, is considered a high-traffic drug- and human-smuggling corridor.
A massive hunt that included helicopters with night vision and more than 100 officers, including SWAT teams, and search dogs, were pursuing the shooters Friday evening. More than one helicopter came under fire as officers rescued Deputy Louie Puroll, who was shot with an AK-47-type weapon around 4 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
Source – Visit AzCentral .com for additional information
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[…] last check, the suspects were shooting at police helicopters in hot pursuit. More from CNN: Pinal County is located between Phoenix and Tuscon and has been […]
This just highlights the severe promblems the good people in Arizona are
faced with. We are a country of immigrants and I feel for anyone who
just wants to provide for their families. That said however, we must enforce immigration laws, as we are also a country of laws. The federal gov. has failed and ignored our immigration laws making states like Arizona take matters into their own hands. I find this administrations negative reaction
to the bill very disengenous. They are far more worried about the Latino vote than they are of the violence on our borders. How many more innocent citizens
have to be murdered, robbed and raped before our leaders man up and do whats right for our country???
and then we question the tactics of arizona’s governor?? maybe this is an adequate way to stop the wanna be mafia thugs, if it were up to me i would expend a lot of manpower on these drug cartels operating in the USA “WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE”hopefully dead so we don’t have to waste our tax dollars on the cartel’s punks being locked in jail!!!
SECURE OUR BORDERS! Illegals have no rights to be in this country, that’s why they are illegal! Help Mexico exterminate the drug cartels, send back their countrymen!Illegals soak up our badly needed tax dollars, they pay NOTHING!
Glad to hear the sheriffs deputy is doing o.k. But with all the heat surrounnding the issue. Why would you say “suspected undocumented immigrants”. You don’t know if they are americans or not. Why stir the pot. Over sensationalism. You should of said five men. People are so stupid. Every time the news uses a catchphrase, that tell me you don’t know squat.
I am sure that those drug dealers bought that AK at a local gun show. . . . . NOT!!
Well I guess this about sums it up. Arizona you will have to carry the water for the rest of the nation until the next election in November. The law abiding people of the nation will support you. Suggestion get rid of McCain he is part of the problem.
If an alleged criminal shoots at a police car, MAYBE they are trying to disable the car, rather than trying to kill the cop.
If an alleged criminal shoots at a police helicopter, I think they should be charged with attempted 1st degree murder, whether they hit the helicopter, or not. Why? Because they evidently do not care how or where that copter comes down or how many people may die or be injured.
Sounds like time for some special choppers, with M240 type machine guns (belly mounted so they do not have to present a broadside exposure to potential shooters) and pilots authorized to “return fire” at the rate of 150 plus spm. Why not add a laser capability provided by a trooper on the ground.
Cost? less than $7000.00 each
Widely used by the US Army – parts and training available