Border Patrol fatally shoots Tohono O'odham man: What we know

Three U.S. Border Patrol agents fatally shot a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation several times after the man threw an object toward a police officer and abruptly extended his right arm away from his body.

Agents from the Ajo Border Patrol Station shot and killed 58-year-old Raymond Mattia outside of his home in the Meneger's Dam community of the Tohono O'odham Nation at 9:39 p.m. on May 18, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Tuesday that Mattia died of gunshot wounds sustained during an interaction with law enforcement. The determination comes from an autopsy performed on May 19, the day after the shooting.

The Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department had requested assistance from Border Patrol to respond to a shots fired call west of the Meneger's Dam community, which is about a mile north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mattia was two feet from his front door when he was shot approximately 38 times, according to a report from Tucson TV station KVOA. Mattia had called the Border Patrol because he had multiple migrants trespassing in his yard and he wanted help getting them off his property, KVOA reported. CBP has not confirmed the number of times Mattia was shot.

One police officer and at least 10 Border Patrol agents were present for the shooting, according to new details released late Monday in a written CBP statement. All 10 agents activated their body cameras during the shooting, per CBP.

Initial reporting: Border Patrol shot Tohono O'odham member 38 times outside his home, report says

The incident is the second fatal shooting by agents in the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector in three months. The sector has the highest number of use-of-force incidents across the agency, with 158 incidents reported so far in fiscal year 2023, per CBP data.

In March, a Border Patrol agent shot and killed a U.S. citizen near Sasabe after a vehicle chase. The shooting was ruled a homicide by the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office.

Rob Daniels, a CBP spokesperson, only said that the investigation is continuing when reached for comment by The Arizona Republic.

Agents administered CPR to Mattia after they couldn’t detect a pulse and requested air life medical evacuation. However, due to inclement weather, there was no air life evacuation available.

Mattia was pronounced dead at 10:06 p.m.

Here’s what we know.

9:04 p.m. Border Patrol receives call for assistance

The U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector Tactical Operations Center informed the Ajo Border Patrol Station that the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department had requested help in responding to a shots fired call at 9:04 p.m.

The police department asked agents to meet at the local recreation center prior to responding to the call. Several agents responded to the request for assistance.

Agents coordinated with the police department officer at the recreation center at 9:31 p.m. The officer advised agents that there were initial reports of shots fired in the vicinity of a “named individual’s” home west of their location.

Agents followed the officer to the home in their government vehicles for about two minutes.

Body camera release: CBP releases body camera video for fatal Border Patrol shooting in Arizona

9:35 p.m. Agents arrive, shoot Mattia outside his home

The officer and agents arrived and parked their vehicles near Mattia’s home at 9:35 p.m. They spread out while searching for a man, according to CBP.

The officer and agents encountered Mattia outside of the home, about 103 meters northwest of their parked vehicles at 9:39 p.m. Mattia threw an object toward the police officer as agents approached the home, CBP said.

The object, which is unclear what it was, landed a few feet in front of the officer. Shortly after Mattia threw the object, he “abruptly” extended his right arm away from his body.

Three agents shot Mattia several times before he fell to the ground, according to CBP.

Shooting ruled homicide: Border Patrol shooting of U.S. man near Sasabe ruled a homicide as investigation continues

9:41 p.m. Agents give medical aid before Mattia is pronounced dead

After shooting Mattia, agents broadcasted over the service radio that shots had been fired at 9:40 p.m. Agents approached Mattia and secured him before checking for a pulse and requesting emergency medical services.

Agents gave Mattia CPR after not detecting a pulse. Agents requested air life medical evacuation before being told it was not available because of inclement weather.

Agents continued giving Mattia CPR until a Border Patrol emergency medical technician on scene called a physician at St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson. The physician pronounced Mattia dead at 10:06 p.m.

The Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office assumed custody of Mattia’s body pending an autopsy.

Agents on leave as FBI investigates shooting

The medical examiner’s office conducted an autopsy on May 19, the day after the shooting. The office will release further information about the cause and manner of death at the conclusion of its review.

The agents involved in the shooting are on administrative leave, which is standard practice following the use of deadly force. CBP said the agency is committed to the release of the body camera footage of the shooting as soon as it’s appropriate to do so.

It took nearly a month for CBP to release the body camera footage of the Border Patrol shooting near Sasabe in March.

The FBI and the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department are investigating the shooting.

The shooting is under review by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility and will be reviewed by CBP’s National Use of Force Review Board at the conclusion of the investigation.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General also was notified about the fatal shooting.

Have a news tip or story idea about the border and its communities? Contact the reporter at josecastaneda@arizonarepublic.com or connect with him on Twitter @joseicastaneda.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tohono O'odham member Raymond Mattia shot by Border Patrol agents