BREAKING NEWS- Pinal Co. deputy shot in desert found

UPDATE - Authorities in southern Arizona have found a deputy who radioed for help and said he had been shot with an AK-47 assault rifle in a remote desert area.

His condition is unknown.

Pinal County Sheriff's Lt. Tammy Villar says the deputy called in Friday to say he had encountered a group and been shot in the abdomen.

The area is used by drug- and human-smugglers from Mexico.

However, the circumstances that led to the shooting are unclear.

Villar says the deputy was near Interstate 8 and Arizona 84 about 50 miles south of Phoenix.

http://www.kvoa.com/news/breaking-news- ... ert-found/



Pinal County sheriff deputy shot in desert near Casa Grande

by The Associated Press

http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Auth ... 56204.html

azfamily.com

Posted on April 30, 2010 at 5:18 PM

Updated today at 6:03 PM


CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (AP) -- Authorities in Pinal County are searching for a deputy who radioed for help and said he had been shot in a remote desert area about 50 miles south of Casa Grande.

Pinal County Sheriff's Lt. Tammy Villar says the deputy radioed in to say that he had encountered a group in the desert and had been shot with an AK-47 assault rifle in the abdomen.

Villar says law enforcement officers from across the area were trying to find the deputy, who apparently was in the desert somewhere near Interstate 8 and Arizona 84 south of the town of Casa Grande.

The area is used by both drug- and human-smugglers who bring their wares through the remote desert from Mexico north to Phoenix. The circumstances that led up to the shooting are unclear.




Report: Deputy shot by undocumented immigrant in desert
Reported by: Deborah Stocks
Email: dstocks@abc15.com
Last Update: 6:04 pm

http://www.abc15.com/content/news/centr ... Mc3Sg.cspx

PINAL COUNTY, AZ -- A Pinal County Sheriff's deputy has been rescued after being shot in the Arizona desert, apparently by an undocumented immigrant.

The deputy is now being transported to Casa Grande Regional Medical Center in an unknown condition.

According to Pinal County Sheriff's Lt. Tamatha Villar, the deputy said in a radio transmission around 4:30 p.m. that he had been shot by an undocumented immigrant.

Villar said the deputy was working alone in the search for undocumented immigrants when he stopped five suspects southwest of Casa Grande, near Interstate 8 and Arizona 84.

One of the suspects reportedly pulled out an AK47 assault rifle, shooting the deputy in the abdomen.

The suspects apparently then took off with a "load of marijuana," and remain on the loose right now.

Authorities spent over an hour searching for the deputy, who was able to communicate with authorities via his radio.

Just after 5:30 p.m., Air15 video showed a Department of Public Safety helicopter crew landing in the desert and walking the wounded deputy to the chopper.

Crews are now searching the desert for the suspects.

Stay with ABC15.com for updates.