Police believe the shooting stemmed from an earlier confrontation between two groups of people who knew each other

NEED TO KNOW

• Nine people were injured in a shooting that took place near a pizza restaurant in Tucson, Ariz., on July 19
• Police believe the shooting stemmed from a confrontation between two groups who knew each other
• The suspect was shot by officers while fleeing the scene and remains hospitalized in critical condition

Nine people were injured in a shooting that took place near an Arizona pizza restaurant that police said may have stemmed from a confrontation between two groups.

According to KGUN, WINK and AZFamily, Tucson police first arrived at the restaurant, located near the city’s 6th Avenue and Congress Street, at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, July 19.

Officials said police in the area heard the gunshots and responded to the scene, where they found all of the victims with gunshot wounds to their extremities. At least one person was shot multiple times, the outlets reported.

All of the victims were taken to local hospitals and were said to be in critical condition, according to investigators.

When police arrived at the scene, they found the suspect running away. The suspect, whose identity has not been made public, was shot by officers and given first aid before being taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Officials told the local outlets that although the motive behind the shooting is still under investigation, they currently believe the incident stemmed from an earlier “confrontation” between two groups of people who knew each other.

The Pima Regional Critical Incident Team (PRCIT) is set to investigate the shooting of the suspect, as it involved a police officer, KGUN reported.

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The Pima County Sheriff’s Department will lead the criminal investigation, and the Tucson Police Department will conduct a separate internal investigation for the officer-involved shooting, the outlet added.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero shared a statement on social media, calling the violent incident a “serious and senseless act of gun violence.”

“Thanks to the quick actions and excellent care provided by our firefighters and police officers, all victims were stabilized and taken to the hospital, where we are hopeful they will all recover,” she wrote. “As we all know too well, the impact resulting from this act of gun violence reaches beyond the scene and the victims. It affects all of us: family and friends, first responders, the witnesses, our entire community. We know these moments leave a lasting impression on us and our sense of safety.”

Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords — whose 2011 shooting was previously considered Tucson’s worst mass shooting in history before Sunday’s incident, WINK reported — advocated for gun safety and gun violence prevention in a statement shared via her national gun violence prevention organization, Giffords.

“My heart is with the victims of this senseless shooting, as well as their families,” wrote Giffords, who previously represented Arizona’s 8th district. “I am praying for swift and full recoveries for everyone who was injured.”

“I know firsthand how devastating the injuries from a shooting can be, and my thoughts are with each person who was impacted,” the former congresswoman continued. “It is especially alarming to see another mass shooting in my hometown.”

“As we await more information, what I know is this: Arizonans should be able to go get pizza on a Saturday night without fearing the next random act of gun violence. Arizona continues to have laws that make it easy for dangerous people to access guns — the time to act is now,” Giffords concluded.

Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or has cellphone or surveillance video to contact 88-CRIME and reference Pima County Sheriff’s Department case number 260719048.

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