Pinal County officials investigating two desert shootings


By Marissa ScottThe Republic | azcentral.comThu Nov 1, 2012 11:17 AM

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two desert shootings that occurred a day a part.

The most shooting recent occurred south of Powerline and Smith roads in Vekol Valley.

About 6:50 p.m. Wednesday, Pinal County officers received a call from an unidentified male south of Interstate 8 saying he had been shot, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tim Gaffney said.

The victim and another male were transported to a hospital. The first victim suffered a gunshot wound to his buttocks, Gaffney said.

The second victim told officials he and the other victim had been a part of an eight-man backpacking group carrying marijuana across the United States-Mexico border, Gaffney said.

They walked to Interstate 8 where they were confronted by a group of five men associated with a group known as a rip crew. The term “rip crew” is a name given to an organized group that seeks to rip off drug mules or men carrying drugs illegally across the border.

The rip crew ordered the group to drop the backpacks of marijuana.

As the eight men fled from the area, one of the rip crew members opened fire at the group. Four of the rip crew members were armed with rifles and one carried a handgun, Gaffney said.

After a search of the area, officers found two other Hispanic men. One man told officers he was one of the backpackers carrying marijuana when approached by the armed men.

Three of the men, including the one shot in the buttocks, are in the United States illegally and were turned over to the United States Border Patrol, officials said.

Pinal County officials are also investigating a Tuesday shooting.
Officials received a call about 8 a.m. Tuesday from a resident who found an injured man alongside a road after a possible shooting near “La Osa Ranch,” about seven miles west of Red Rock community, Gaffney said.

The 42-year-old victim admitted to deputies he crossed the border on foot illegally about 10 days ago with two other men, Gaffney said.

The three men were walking on a trail about 1 a.m. Tuesday, when they were confronted by three other men hiding in bushes. The suspects were wearing camouflage clothing, black masks and were armed with semi-automatic handguns, according to authorities.
The suspects, who spoke in Spanish, demanded money. The victims handed the men all the money they carried.

When the three suspects did not receive any more cash, one of the suspects whipped a gun into the victim’s face. The man fought back, but another suspect shot him in the right leg, authorities said.

The victim fell to the ground, and the three suspects ran to a car parked about 200 yards away.

The two men with the victim fled to a nearby road where the victim was left roadside and a driver found him. The two other men fled to avoid being arrested.

The man was transported to a hospital for the injuries related to the shooting. He suffered several fractures to his face from the pistol-whipping.

One of the victim’s friends was located. Both men were handed over to the U.S. Border Patrol for being in the United States illegally.

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