The Sierra Vista Police Department arrested 40-year-old Hereford resident Helgar Rosas for aggravated assault last week after leading the investigation into a Nov. 1 incident in which a Cochise County Sheriff’s Office deputy shot Rosas.
On Nov. 1, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disorderly conduct call in the 10000 block of E. Running Coyote Trail in Hereford. CCSO Deputy Rene Meza was first on the scene and was confronted by Rosas, who exited the residence with what appeared to be a long-barreled gun.
Investigators reviewed Deputy Meza’s body-worn camera footage, which shows Rosas exiting the residence armed with the gun and yelling at Deputy Meza to shoot him. Deputy Meza then takes cover behind his patrol vehicle and issues multiple commands for Rosas to drop the weapon. Rosas can be seen pointing the gun directly at Deputy Meza as Rosas comes around the side of the patrol vehicle. Deputy Meza then fires one shot at Rosas, striking him in the chest.
Additional deputies arrived on scene and provided lifesaving measures to Rosas, who was transported by area EMS services and then flown to a hospital in Tucson for treatment. The gun that was wielded by Rosas was found to be an air rifle.
Rosas was booked into the Cochise County Jail on three counts of aggravated assault and one count of Domestic Violence Disorderly Conduct.