On Friday afternoon, just after 4:00 p.m., Tucson Police Department officers responded to the 5800 block of East Broadway Boulevard for a report of a shooting. The incident took place directly across the street from the Park Place Mall. When officers arrived on scene, they learned an adult male had been shot and taken to a local hospital before their arrival. The suspect involved in the shooting had already fled, however officers were able to locate several witnesses who were in the area when the shooting took place.
Detectives from the Tucson Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit and Night Detective Unit responded to the scene to continue the investigation. They were able to speak with the victim at the hospital, as well as witnesses on scene. Detectives determined that the victim and suspect were involved in a verbal altercation near the mall and eventually walked across the street. As the altercation continued, one of the men brandished a handgun and shot the other man multiple times. The victim’s injuries are currently listed as non-life threatening.
Detectives were able to obtain surveillance video near the incident location. This morning, a photograph of the suspect was released to the public through social media and local news outlets. This afternoon, the suspect involved in the shooting turned himself in after learning that his photograph had been posted throughout social media and on the news. The Tucson Police Department would like to thank the public and media outlets for sharing the photo we provided. This was a great example of community policing. Your dedication to keeping our city safe was noticed by the amount of social media sharing you provided. Your participation was the main reason the suspect turned himself in on Saturday.
The shooter has been identified as 19-year-old Robert Steven Balderrama. He has been booked into the Pima County Jail on one count of Aggravated Assault w/a Deadly Weapon and one count of Aggravated Assault w/Serious Physical Injury.