iStock/Thinkstock(TUCSON, Ariz.) — A deputy U.S. Marshal was shot and killed in the line of duty Thursday evening in Tucson, Arizona.
The marshal was shot while trying to serve a felony warrant to 26-year-old Ryan Schlesinger at a residence in the city’s Miracle Manor neighborhood around 5:30 p.m. local time. The marshal was with other service officers at the time, authorities said.
Tucson police officers responded to the scene shortly after the shooting and surrounded Schlesinger’s one-story home. The suspect ultimately surrendered and was taken into custody without incident or injury, authorities said.
The wounded marshal was rushed to a local hospital where he died. Authorities have not yet released his name.
“This is a tragic night for law enforcement in Tucson and obviously across the state of Arizona,” Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said at a press conference Thursday. “Our hearts go out to this marshal’s family.”
The police chief said serving warrants can be “very dangerous” work.
“You never really know how somebody is going to react to that,” he explained. “Obviously, a warrant still means that somebody has their day in court but there are times when the individual being served doesn’t see it that way and we really don’t know what’s going through their head when they make a decision to do something like this.”
Tributes to Schlesinger’s bravery rang out up and down the line of local, state and federal law enforcement communities.
“The District of Arizona lost one of its finest last night. Deputy Chase White was an outstanding professional, a man who was dedicated to eradicating crime from the streets of Tucson,” said United States Marshal David Gonzales, District of Arizona.
“Please keep his family, and his brothers and sisters in the law enforcement community, in your thoughts as we deal with this tragedy. Losing one of our own is the most difficult situation we face.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident.
“We are all extremely saddened by the tragic death of our brother, Deputy U.S. Marshal Chase White, last night in Tucson, Arizona. He was shot and killed while performing his mission.”
“It’s a dangerous job, but Chase was devoted to making his community and this nation safer. His sacrifice will not be forgotten,” David J. Anderson, Acting Deputy Director of the U.S. Marshals Service. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and our law enforcement community. The nation lost a hero last night.”
Acting Deputy Director of the U.S. Marshals Service David J. Anderson weighed in, too.
“We are all extremely saddened by the tragic death of our brother, Deputy U.S. Marshal Chase White, last night in Tucson, Arizona,” Anderson said.
“He was shot and killed while performing his mission. It’s a dangerous job, but Chase was devoted to making his community and this nation safer. His sacrifice will not be forgotten. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and our law enforcement community. The nation lost a hero last night.”
Federal agencies are working with the Tucson Police Department to investigate the deadly shooting.
“It’s very tough and it’s hard to make any sense of it, but that’s what the investigation is for and we’ll know more in the upcoming days and weeks,” Magnus told reporters when declining to provide more details on the incident.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey took to Twitter to express his “deepest condolences” to the slain marshal’s family and fellow law enforcement officers.
I’ve just learned that tonight we lost a US Deputy Marshal from the District of Arizona. He was killed in the line of duty in Tucson. My deepest condolences and prayers go out to his family and all of Arizona law enforcement.
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) November 30, 2018
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