Two U.S Customs and Border Protection Yuma AS350 crews responded to reports of a shooting at a nearby high school in Yuma, on Monday. The aircrews partnered with U.S. Border Patrol agents to search the area and locate the suspected shooter.
Yuma Air Branch received initial reports of a possible shooting at Gila Ridge High School yesterday morning and launched an AS350 crew to respond. The aircrew arrived on station within four minutes. A second AS350 crew deployed to the scene.
An aircrew identified footprints in an open, undeveloped area south of the high school and alerted nearby law enforcement officers. A Border Patrol Agent responded and confirmed the footprints were fresh and were heading toward an industrial area.
Law enforcement officers responded, located and arrested the suspected shooter. Further investigation is underway. “These are the situations we train for, to be able to respond immediately to incidents of dire urgency,” stated Douglas Murray, Director of Yuma Air Branch, “Our crews regularly partner with U.S. Border Patrol in situations like this to increase effectiveness in stopping potentially violent threats.”