A person was in critical condition Tuesday after a shooting involving U.S. Border Patrol agents in southern Arizona. Authorities said local and federal officials opened an investigation but released few details about what led to the gunfire.
The shooting happened near Arivaca, a rural community in Pima County about 10 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and reporting by The Associated Press.
NBC News, citing a sheriff’s office spokeswoman, reported that the person shot was in critical condition after the incident with Border Patrol. Reuters confirmed this and noted that multiple law enforcement agencies were investigating, based on information the sheriff’s office and a local fire department provided to NBC.
The Santa Rita Fire District said it responded to the scene and took the injured person to a regional trauma center by medical helicopter. The person who was shot remained in custody, according to the fire district.
The sheriff’s department stated it was working with the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to look into the shooting.
Authorities did not identify the person who was shot or explain the circumstances leading to the use of force. Reuters reported that information about what prompted the shooting was unavailable, and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.
AP mentioned that neither Customs and Border Protection nor the FBI immediately responded to emails and calls seeking more information.
🚨BREAKING: INDIVIDUAL IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER SHOOTING INVOLVING BORDER PATROL IN ARIZONA pic.twitter.com/M8nOBvhSYy
— Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) January 27, 2026
This incident adds to a series of confrontations involving federal immigration officers as the Trump administration expands enforcement operations in various areas. In Arizona, Border Patrol agents often conduct patrols and interdiction work in remote regions near the border, including around small communities like Arivaca, where residents have reported a heavy federal presence.
The sheriff’s office did not clarify whether the person shot was suspected of an immigration-related offense, whether the shooting occurred during an arrest, or if any agents were injured.
Officials also did not indicate whether the involved Border Patrol agent or agents were put on administrative leave, which many law enforcement agencies do after shootings while awaiting review.
As of Tuesday evening, investigators had not released body camera footage, surveillance video, or a formal timeline of the encounter. Reuters reported that multiple agencies were still investigating the incident, and AP noted that the sheriff’s office and federal partners had not provided further details.
Border Patrol is part of Customs and Border Protection, which is under the Department of Homeland Security. In shooting investigations, CBP typically collaborates with local prosecutors and, depending on the situation, the FBI or other federal agencies to review use-of-force incidents.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department did not respond publicly to questions about potential witnesses, the number of shots fired, or whether investigators had found a weapon at the scene.
Officials promised to share more information as the investigation progresses.
