Man hospitalized, arrested after officer-involved shooting in Tucson last month

PHOENIX — A man was taken into custody and hospitalized after an officer-involved shooting in Tucson at the beginning of August, authorities said.

Cody Hudson — the suspect in the officer-involved shooting — was still hospitalized as of Thursday, but was booked in absentia into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex, according to the Pima Regional Critical Incident Team (PRCIT).

The 29-year-old faces charges of domestic violence, disorderly conduct, weapons misconduct by a prohibited possessor, eight counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and three counts of discharging a firearm at an occupied structure.

What led to the officer-involved shooting?

On Aug. 11, deputies with the Pima County Sheriff’s Office were called to a second-floor apartment near Linda Vista Boulevard and Camino De Oeste around 2 p.m. for reports of an armed, suicidal male.

Police were also told that Hudson was preventing another male in the apartment from leaving.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they reportedly learned that Hudson had threatened to kill himself and the man.

PRCIT said that police and firefighters were able to get the other man out of the apartment from its balcony using a ladder. They also evacuated nearby apartments.

Multiple teams and departments responded to assist with the incident.

Hudson reportedly barricaded himself inside and negotiators were unable to establish communication with him until 3:45 p.m.

Around an hour later, Hudson began randomly firing a gun from inside the apartment and continued to do so for nine hours, according to PRCIT.

Throughout that time, police reportedly tried to contact Hudson using multiple methods including a cell phone, all of which he destroyed by shooting them.

In addition, SWAT deployed less-lethal equipment to try and get Hudson to surrender peacefully, but he refused and allegedly fired indiscriminately at the equipment as well as officers.

According to PRCIT, just after midnight Hudson exited the apartment’s front door and pointed his firearm at a SWAT team. In response, the officers fired at and struck Hudson causing him to retreat back inside.

Hudson then returned fire just before 1 a.m. and was again struck by gunfire from SWAT members.

Police said that Hudson exited the apartment two more times before a taser was successfully deployed and SWAT were able to detain him.

Once in custody, SWAT rendered aid to Hudson and he was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

No officers or community members were injured during the incident.

What did PRCIT’s investigation reveal?

Following the incident, PRCIT said investigators processed the scene, reviewed body camera footage and spoke with witnesses. They determined that Hudson had fired 40 rounds from his handgun during the incident.

According to PRCIT, investigators also identified the SWAT members who shot at Hudson as:

• Deputy Paul Petropoulos with the Pima County Sheriff’s Office
• Officer Tyler Nicholson with the Oro Valley Police Department
• Officer Justin Gauna with the Marana Police Department.

The officers have been with their departments for 29 years, 12 years and seven years, respectively.

The Tucson Police Department will be handling the criminal investigation.

Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a separate administrative investigation to examine the officers’ action.

Related

Truck driver in deadly Goodyear cycling crash sentenced to year in prisonPhoenix police release new footage showing deadly shooting involving man wielding hatchet at IHOPTeen arrested in connection with deadly shooting near downtown Phoenix2 police officers, suspect hospitalized after shootout in PhoenixPolice identify man killed in shooting involving officers in south PhoenixDOJ monitoring polling sites for voting rights compliance in 3 Arizona counties on Election Day