TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Tucson Fire Department firefighter has been accused of drive-by shooting and aggravated assault as the result of an alleged road rage incident, according to an interim complaint obtained by KGUN 9.
Both drivers recount the incident in the interim complaint.
In the complaint, the victim describes driving southbound on Oracle Road near Prince when he was cut off by a Tesla Model Y not using a blinker. In his statement, the victim says the Tesla driver pulled next to his vehicle on either side multiple times, "staring" at him and his front-seat passenger and at one point rolling the window down and pointing a gun at him.
The driver says in the complaint that after stopping side-by-side at a stoplight, he continued southbound and heard a gunshot. Both the driver and his passenger gave statements to police, reporting the license plate number and a description of the driver.
The driver with the gun was later identified as Raul Carrasco III, 58. KGUN 9 obtained confirmation from TFD that Carrasco is a 24-year firefighter with the department.
In Carrasco's statement to Tucson police officers, he said he had been involved in a road rage incident and described himself as feeling scared by aggressive behavior from the other driver. Carrasco says in the interim complaint that he believed the other driver wanted to fight him, with Carrasco recounting four times the driver "tried to confront him," yelling an obscenity at one point.
Carrasco says in the interim complaint that he was armed with a 9mm handgun, and raised it when he thought the other driver was armed. Carrasco says his gun "accidentally" went off when the other driver pulled away.
In the statement, Carrasco says he did not know there were passengers in the other vehicle. The other driver, in his statement, said in addition to his passenger, his three-year-old stepson was in the car with him.
Police say a bullet projectile was recovered from the vehicle.
A statement sent to KGUN 9 from TFD Chief Chuck Ryan says "We are aware of the situation involving Raul Carrasco and take this matter very seriously. Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to share specific details at this time. The City has started the process to terminate Carrasco."
