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Arizona man killed, nephew injured in 'unprovoked' shooting at RV dealer, police say

Bruce Alvin Hansberry, who was in the military, was arrested on charges of murder and attempted murder after the shooting at Desert RV in Whetstone.
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A 47-year-old man was killed and his 18-year-old nephew was injured in what authorities said was an "unprovoked" shooting at an Arizona RV dealer.

The suspect, identified as Bruce Alvin Hansberry, was taken into custody Monday night, hours after he fled deputies and hid in the desert, authorities alleged.

The shooting happened around 5:15 p.m. Monday at Desert RV in Whetstone, about 65 miles southeast of Tucson. Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels said Hansberry walked into the business armed with an AR-15 rifle and shot several employees.

Desert RV in Whetstone, Ariz.
Desert RV in Whetstone, Ariz. Google

Robert Lizarraga, of Sierra Vista, died at the scene. His nephew Jordan Barajas, of Huachuca City, was injured and flown to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition, Dannels said in an update Tuesday morning. Both worked at Desert RV.

The business owner had a firearm and shot at the gunman as he fled and got into a vehicle parked nearby. Dannels said the gunman eventually abandoned the vehicle and ran into the desert while still armed.

Deputies lost the gunman in the desert, the sheriff said. Hansberry, the suspect, was in the military and is listed as a disabled veteran.

Nearby highways and interstates were closed and residents were told to shelter in place as local, state and federal agencies searched for him. He was found around 10 p.m. hiding in a desert area east of Highway 90, the sheriff said.

A motive remains unclear.

Dannels said the suspect did not know the victims and had visited the dealership twice "as a customer" in the hours before the shooting.

"He left, no incidents, no disturbances or nothing," the sheriff told reporters. "He just came back. From my understanding, one of the mechanics who work on our vehicle, [the suspect] just shot him, and it continued from there. I don’t know what provoked him."

Hansberry was booked into the Cochise County Jail on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and child abuse. The child abuse charge stems from investigators’ having located an infant who was left alone at his residence.

It was not clear whether Hansberry has an attorney.