Man Arrested After Downtown Tucson Shooting Injures Nine and Prompts Officer-Involved Gunfire Near Congress and Sixth

TUCSON, AZ — Police say a 21-year-old man is in custody after an early Sunday shooting in downtown Tucson left nine people critically injured and led an officer to fire on the suspect as he ran from the scene. Court records identify the man as David Leroy French, who was later booked into Pima County jail with no bond set Monday morning.

Investigators say the shooting happened around 2 a.m. near East Congress and North Sixth Avenue after a verbal dispute escalated. Ten people, including French, were taken to a hospital with gunshot wounds.

How Police Identified Suspect

Tucson police said officers nearby heard gunfire and saw a man fleeing the area. After giving commands, one officer opened fire and struck him, according to the department’s release.

Investigators later reviewed surveillance video and concluded French was the shooter, the complaint says. He was arrested on suspicion of nine counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, nine counts of aggravated assault, and discharging a firearm at a structure.

Prior Probation History

Court records show French was already serving a four-year probation term tied to a 2024 aggravated assault case involving a deadly weapon. That earlier case stemmed from an incident at a car wash on Oct. 6, 2024.

Records say French pulled out a rifle after an employee asked him and others to leave, then pointed the weapon and fired in the employee’s direction as the person ran away.

Details From 2024 Case

Surveillance footage from the car wash incident reportedly showed French aiming the rifle at the employee before shooting. About a week later, he told police he had fired the rifle but said he could not remember whether he shot at anyone because he had been drunk.

Those records are now part of the background in the downtown Tucson investigation, which remains active as authorities continue sorting through the chain of events from Sunday morning.

What Happens Next

The case now sits with investigators and prosecutors as the injured victims continue to recover. Officials have not announced additional charges beyond those listed in the complaint.

Police have said the shooting began after an argument between two groups and quickly spread into a chaotic scene in one of downtown Tucson’s busiest late-night corridors. The department has not said when French will make a court appearance.

TNSO covers California, Nevada, and Arizona as the story unfolds.