PICTURE ROCKS, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - A man is recovering in the hospital following an officer-involved shooting in Picture Rocks. Pima County Sheriff's Deputies say 22-year-old Kyle Montgomery was shot by one of their officers earlier today. The shooting took place just two days after the suspect was released from a mental health facility.
"He's going to succeed in either killing himself or killing somebody else," said Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos.
Deputies say it started after they received a call about suspicious activity at a dollar store off Sandario Road in Picture Rocks around 2 p.m.. When they approached him, Montgomery allegedly ran off, but was quickly found hiding behind a tree a few blocks down on Najo Lane.
Officials say he was armed and posed a threat to them. That's when he was shot in the shoulder and taken to the hospital.
Montgomery has been booked in to the Pima County Adult Detention Complex. He has been charged with Possession of a Weapon by a Prohibited Person and Possession of a Prohibited Weapon.
Today's shooting came just two days after he was released from mental care. Sheriff Nanos says it reminded him of a similar situation on January 8th.
"Deputies shoot this man and used IFAKs on him, our individual first aid kits," he said. "The same first aid kits we used at the Gabby Giffords shooting. Here we are five years later and we're dealing with the same issue. Mental health and theres no fix."
Just last week, Montgomery caused part of I10 to shut down near Ina road. Officials say he was running from US Marshals when he ran across several lanes of the interstate and stabbed himself in the neck. He was being treated at a mental health facility, but was released just days later.
Sheriff Nanos says he hopes with President Obama's proposed $500 million investment in mental health care, these issues can be avoided in the future.
"Maybe with this money that the federal government, that Obama is trying to move towards mental health, I'm hoping it gets to the communities out here who really need it."
The deputy involved in the shooting was Deputy Kurt Dabb, a fourteen year veteran. He has been placed on administrative leave which is standard procedure following an officer involved shooting.
