TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — After about two days of avoiding arrest a 20 year old man has turned himself in to police on a murder charge for a killing that happened here on volleyball courts on the U of A campus. U of A Police say they had a lot of interagency cooperation that helped with this arrest; they also say they are going to work hard to improve an important warning system to let students know of emergencies.
Naturally, news of the arrest was a relief for students. Students who live in the dorms near the volleyball court have been especially unnerved. Students like Kiley Emerling could look out their windows and see first responders trying to save the victim.
“I was looking from my 6th floor window. I saw them giving CPR and put the thing over his body. It was just really sad.”
The shooting happened just before 11pm Sunday. University Police said there were roughly a hundred people at the volleyball courts, and there had been some fights.
After the shooting, family and friends of Minhaj Jamshidi tried to take him to a hospital. They moved him towards a car but decided to wait for first responders instead.
Police say Encinas ran away.
U of A Police, Tucson Police and Tucson Fire arrive. They try CPR but Manhaj Jamshidi is dead at the scene.
Monday morning police get tips that identify the suspect as 20 year old Ryan Romero-Encinas.
U of A Police, Tucson Police and Sheriff’s deputies execute search warrants at two addresses but do not find Encinas.
The FBI and U.S. Marshals join in the search.
U of A says Wednesday afternoon, Encinas returns to his apartment ready to turn himself in. His roommates call 911. Police say they arrest him without incident but he says nothing to them about the shooting.
Students complained they had already seen the shooting, and the police response by the time warnings arrived from U of A’s UAlert text system. Our own phones received the alerts 34 minutes after the shooting.
UAPD Chief Chris Olson concedes: “The system for UAlerts failed us in this instance. We were quickly overwhelmed and us falling short on that is my responsibility. I take full responsibility for that. I can assure the community that we've implemented changes to our u alert system immediately.”
The victim was not a U of A student, neither was the suspect. Chief Olson was asked if for security U of A should become a closed campus. He says campus should be an open, community resource, but with enough police presence to keep trouble away.
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