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Border Patrol agents shoot man at checkpoint near Tombstone

Posted at 4:41 PM, May 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-18 13:49:07-04

The Border Patrol has identified an elderly man who fired his gun at agents at a checkpoint near Tombstone and was shot in the arm.

Tucson Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Felix Chavez said Thursday that 76-year-old Gary Smith of Tombstone suffered non-life threatening injuries after a shootout with agents at a checkpoint.

Chavez said Smith crashed into traffic barricades at the checkpoint on State Route 80 on Wednesday afternoon and then started shooting at agents. The checkpoint was temporarily closed at the time of the shooting because of bad weather but has since reopened.

Investigators believe two agents fired back at Smith, striking him in the upper left arm.

Chavez said investigators found two guns belonging to Smith at the scene. Smith was transported to a Tucson-area hospital.

The agents who fired haven't been identified.