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06-02-08, 10:57 AM
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/06/01/20080601tucsonshootings1.html
A 43-year-old Tucson police officer shot in the head Sunday during a crosstown shooting spree and chase was on life support and unlikely to live, Police Chief Richard Miranda said.
Miranda said David Nicholas Delich, 25, dressed in camouflage, wounded two Pima County sheriff's deputies less seriously before he surrendered without incident to deputies part-way up Mount Lemmon.
On the far northeast side of the city, the suspect shot Tucson officer Erik Hite once in the head, Miranda said.
A short time later, he injured a second deputy sheriff as he started driving up the mountain, the chief added.
All three wounded officers were taken to University Medical Center. No civilians were injured, Miranda said.
“I've been with the family, and doctors have told me and the family together that it's very unlikely that Officer Hite will live,” he said.
Hite joined the department in February 2004 after a 21-year career with the Air Force. He and his wife Nohemy have a daughter, Samantha, who will turn a year old next week.
Hite also has a son serving in the military in San Antonio. The incident began at about 10 a.m. Sunday morning after residents in a county area reported shots fired at homes by a man driving a red Ford Mustang.
Rick Kastigar, criminal investigations chief for the sheriff's department, said Deputy Eric Cervantez spotted the suspect and exchanged fire with him from outside his cruiser at the intersection of Ina and Oracle.
Cervantez, who joined the force in October, was shot in the shoulder. Miranda said Cervantez chased Delich despite being shot — “a brave act” — before losing sight of him as the gunman drove south toward the city.
A second deputy later spotted the car and picked up the chase as the suspect drove east.
Later, on the far northeast side of Tucson, the suspect shot Hite near Houghton Road and Tanque Verde.
Miranda said Hite was shot sitting in his car, apparently after the gunman had made an abrupt U-turn.
“I'm going to say it bluntly: Officer Hite was ambushed,” the chief said.
Afterward, several miles away about a mile along the Catalina Highway that leads to Mount Lemmon, he shot and grazed a second sheriff's deputy, 8-year-veteran Tory Schwartz, on the side of his head, Kastigar said.
Miranda said several weapons and a lot of ammunition were found inside Delich's car, including an assault-style rifle. No motive for the shootings was determined immediately, and there was no apparent connection between Delich and the homes that were shot at, he said.
Kastigar said Delich was being held and interviewed jointly by police and sheriff's investigators Sunday night and that the suspect had not been booked on suspicion of any charges yet.
He said the sheriff's department has “had several contacts” with Delich over the years but gave no specifics and said he did not know whether the suspect had served any prison time.
Both he and Miranda said the investigation would take some time because of the multiple shooting sites.
Police spokesman Capt. Clayton Kidd said that Delich fired at police from at least four different locations during the hour-long chase.
Police also said that the suspect apparently fired at officers both from inside his car and standing outside of it at various times.
Kastigar said he did not know whether Delich had requested a lawyer, but said an initial court appearance was likely Monday. The Associated Press has requested an interview with the suspect. Miranda said he had a heavy heart.
“I believe as police chief my ultimate responsibility is protection of my police officers, and when something like this happens I have a definite, sincere feeling of responsibility,” Miranda said. “I have a sense of responsibility and sadness and I feel absolutely terrible.”
And Mayor Bob Walkup also met with Hite's wife and said he “expressed the words of concern of the community... Clearly it's a sad day.”
A 43-year-old Tucson police officer shot in the head Sunday during a crosstown shooting spree and chase was on life support and unlikely to live, Police Chief Richard Miranda said.
Miranda said David Nicholas Delich, 25, dressed in camouflage, wounded two Pima County sheriff's deputies less seriously before he surrendered without incident to deputies part-way up Mount Lemmon.
On the far northeast side of the city, the suspect shot Tucson officer Erik Hite once in the head, Miranda said.
A short time later, he injured a second deputy sheriff as he started driving up the mountain, the chief added.
All three wounded officers were taken to University Medical Center. No civilians were injured, Miranda said.
“I've been with the family, and doctors have told me and the family together that it's very unlikely that Officer Hite will live,” he said.
Hite joined the department in February 2004 after a 21-year career with the Air Force. He and his wife Nohemy have a daughter, Samantha, who will turn a year old next week.
Hite also has a son serving in the military in San Antonio. The incident began at about 10 a.m. Sunday morning after residents in a county area reported shots fired at homes by a man driving a red Ford Mustang.
Rick Kastigar, criminal investigations chief for the sheriff's department, said Deputy Eric Cervantez spotted the suspect and exchanged fire with him from outside his cruiser at the intersection of Ina and Oracle.
Cervantez, who joined the force in October, was shot in the shoulder. Miranda said Cervantez chased Delich despite being shot — “a brave act” — before losing sight of him as the gunman drove south toward the city.
A second deputy later spotted the car and picked up the chase as the suspect drove east.
Later, on the far northeast side of Tucson, the suspect shot Hite near Houghton Road and Tanque Verde.
Miranda said Hite was shot sitting in his car, apparently after the gunman had made an abrupt U-turn.
“I'm going to say it bluntly: Officer Hite was ambushed,” the chief said.
Afterward, several miles away about a mile along the Catalina Highway that leads to Mount Lemmon, he shot and grazed a second sheriff's deputy, 8-year-veteran Tory Schwartz, on the side of his head, Kastigar said.
Miranda said several weapons and a lot of ammunition were found inside Delich's car, including an assault-style rifle. No motive for the shootings was determined immediately, and there was no apparent connection between Delich and the homes that were shot at, he said.
Kastigar said Delich was being held and interviewed jointly by police and sheriff's investigators Sunday night and that the suspect had not been booked on suspicion of any charges yet.
He said the sheriff's department has “had several contacts” with Delich over the years but gave no specifics and said he did not know whether the suspect had served any prison time.
Both he and Miranda said the investigation would take some time because of the multiple shooting sites.
Police spokesman Capt. Clayton Kidd said that Delich fired at police from at least four different locations during the hour-long chase.
Police also said that the suspect apparently fired at officers both from inside his car and standing outside of it at various times.
Kastigar said he did not know whether Delich had requested a lawyer, but said an initial court appearance was likely Monday. The Associated Press has requested an interview with the suspect. Miranda said he had a heavy heart.
“I believe as police chief my ultimate responsibility is protection of my police officers, and when something like this happens I have a definite, sincere feeling of responsibility,” Miranda said. “I have a sense of responsibility and sadness and I feel absolutely terrible.”
And Mayor Bob Walkup also met with Hite's wife and said he “expressed the words of concern of the community... Clearly it's a sad day.”