Who Is Patrick Gary Schlegel? ‘Human Smuggling Convict’ Shot By US Border Patrol Agents After Alleged Attack On Helicopter Near Mexico Border

US Border Patrol agents critically injured one person on Tuesday morning in Arivaca, Arizona, during a shooting incident following what federal authorities described as an alleged assault on a federal officer.

The incident occurred at around 7:30 a.m. near milepost 15 on West Arivaca Road, close to the US-Mexico border. According to the FBI, federal agents were attempting to detain a man later identified as 34-year-old Patrick Gary Schlegel when he opened fire on a Border Patrol helicopter.

Exchange of Gunfire During Attempted Detention Between Border Patrol Agents And  Patrick Gary Schlegel 

Authorities said agents returned fire after Schlegel allegedly fired a pistol at the helicopter. Patrick Gary Schlegel, an Arizona resident, was struck during the exchange and suffered critical injuries.

He was transported to a hospital by the Santa Rita Fire District and remained in critical condition as of Tuesday night. Officials said he was recovering from surgery.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the shooting followed a chase involving both a Border Patrol helicopter and agents on the ground.

“During the pursuit, he fired a pistol at the aircraft,” Nanos told reporters during an afternoon press conference.

Who is Patrick Gary Schlegel?

Schlegel, a resident of Sahuarita, had an active warrant for escape at the time of the shooting, authorities said. His criminal history includes convictions related to human smuggling and firearm possession.

Court records show Schlegel escaped from federal custody in December while serving a sentence related to a previous smuggling conviction.

Earlier Tuesday morning, Schlegel was involved in a human trafficking incident but managed to flee the scene in an older model Dodge pickup truck, according to Sheriff Nanos.

Federal court records detail Schlegel’s earlier conviction stemming from a May 2023 smuggling attempt near Arivaca. In that case, prosecutors said he drove along a border road, loaded approximately a dozen migrants into the bed of a pickup truck, and covered them with a tarp.

The migrants, all Mexican citizens who later served as material witnesses, testified that they paid between $12,000 and $14,000 each to be smuggled into the United States.

On January 18, 2024, Schlegel was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to transportation of illegal aliens for profit and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 Patrick Gary Schlegel Shooting Comes Amid Heightened National Scrutiny in US

The Arizona shooting comes at a time of heightened national tension surrounding federal immigration enforcement.

Earlier this month, federal immigration officers in Minneapolis shot and killed two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in separate incidents during operations involving Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The deaths triggered large protests and widespread public outcry.

The killings have drawn national attention, with protesters and legal observers criticizing what they describe as excessive enforcement actions. The Trump administration has publicly defended the officers involved.

The recent incidents have intensified criticism of the Department of Homeland Security, including calls to fire or impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Since September, federal immigration officers have shot 12 people nationwide amid expanded DHS deportation operations.

When asked Tuesday afternoon whether Noem would step down following clashes between protesters and federal agents in Minneapolis, President Donald Trump dismissed the idea.

“I think she’s doing a very good job,” Trump told reporters.

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