Tucson Police Officer Shoots Suspect Who Pointed Gun at Him

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Tucson, Arizona — On March 14, 2023, the Pima Regional Critical Incident Team was activated for a Tucson Police Department Officer involved shooting near East Grant Road and North Treat Avenue. Shortly before 3:30 p.m. the Tucson Public Safety Communications Department received multiple 9-1-1 calls from a dispensary, reporting an armed robbery with a firearm in progress. Dispatchers were also told by a caller, that the suspect was last seen fleeing westbound armed with a firearm. Surveillance video from the business shows the suspect jumping over the counter and pointing a firearm at an employee. Officers from Operations Division Midtown responded to the 2700 block of East Grant Road. The officers were provided with a description of the adult male suspect.
Officers began searching the area on foot for the suspect. Shortly after, a Sergeant located the suspect inside an occupied restaurant, in the vicinity of the initial robbery. During the encounter with the suspect, the Sergeant gave the male multiple commands to get on the ground. The suspect refused to comply and pointed a handgun at the officers. The Sergeant discharged his rifle and retreated to an area of cover. Additional officers from Tucson Police Department were dispatched to the incident including the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and Hostage Negotiations Unit. Officers believe the suspect continued to pose in an immediate threat to the community and the reports of community members hiding inside the restaurant.

Officers later learned that the community members were able to escape from the restaurant uninjured. Numerous attempts were made to establish communication with the suspect. After there was no response from the suspect, SWAT personnel entered the restaurant and located the suspect with obvious signs of gunshot trauma. The suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene. No community members or officers were injured in this incident. The suspect has been identified as 37-year-old Nicholas Mauro Sosa. The Tucson Police Sergeant who discharged his rifle has been identified as Sgt. Jesse Chlopowicz, a 14-year veteran of the Tucson Police Department.