ARIZONA ELECTION

New Ted Cruz ad features story of Arizona man killed by accused illegal immigrant

Mar 17, 2016, 5:22 PM

Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz released his first campaign ad to air in Arizona on Wednesday.

In the ad, Mesa resident Steve Ronnebeck tells the story of how his son was murdered. Grant Ronnebeck, 21, was working an overnight shift at QT when Apolinar Altamirano, an accused illegal immigrant with a history of violence, allegedly shot Grant in the face over a pack of cigarettes.

Altamirano was out on bail in a separate case and awaiting deportation at the time of the shooting.

After being charged with a lower-level burglary, Altamirano’s case was moved over from Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who released him on bail while he awaited trial in a backlogged system.

“My son’s death was completely preventable,” Steve said in the video. “He should have been deported.”

Steve said he trusts Cruz to make sure events such as his son’s death do not happen.

“It’s time we put someone into office who puts the American people first.”

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New Ted Cruz ad features story of Arizona man killed by accused illegal immigrant