SWAT Arrests Third Suspect in Fatal Shooting of Tucson Police Recruit

Authorities arrested Alex Barnett on Monday night during an Eastside SWAT operation, marking the latest apprehension in the fatal August 19 shooting of an off-duty Tucson Police Department recruit.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department reported that SWAT units took Barnett into custody without incident while serving a search warrant near Broadway Boulevard and Camino Seco.

Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed the arrest to KVOA. A first-degree murder warrant was previously issued for Barnett following a statewide Blue Alert last week.

The arrest is tied to the homicide of 23-year-old Carlos Ramirez. Ramirez was killed and his 23-year-old fiancée, Aaliyah, was injured just before 6 a.m. at their Valencia West residence.

Aaliyah, a Pima County corrections officer, is recovering in stable condition. The Tucson Police Department confirmed the couple's unborn child was unharmed during the home invasion.

Court documents indicate the incident began when Aaliyah heard banging outside their bedroom. Ramirez instructed her to retrieve a firearm from a safe after spotting two masked men.

The records reveal that Ramirez engaged in a physical altercation with the intruders right outside the bedroom before shots were ultimately fired.

Barnett is the third suspect identified in the investigation. On August 22, investigators arrested 39-year-old Santiago Jorge Rogers at a hotel near Irvington and Palo Verde roads.

Rogers is currently held without bond on charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 1.

Detectives also located another individual seen on surveillance footage exiting a vehicle believed to be tied to the homicide. The suspect vehicle was found abandoned on August 20.

Authorities have not yet arrested this additional individual as they continue to investigate his exact involvement in the fatal shooting.

Ramirez previously served as a corrections officer and was scheduled to graduate from the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Center later this month.

The Erik Hite Foundation and police officials are currently collecting online donations to financially support his surviving parents, brother, fiancée, and children.