An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent was fatally shot on Thursday afternoon, August 17, during a training exercise at the firing range of the Federal Correctional Institution in Phoenix.
The incident took place near Pioneer Road and Interstate 17 in north Phoenix, Arizona.
At the time of the shooting, multiple federal agencies were conducting training exercises at the range, stated Aimee Arthur-Wastell, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP).
The FBI further detailed that the agent was involved in “routine” training at the time of the incident. However, they did not provide additional information about the exact circumstances leading to the agent’s death or whether any arrests followed the incident.
Upon their arrival, Phoenix police officers discovered the wounded IRS agent. He was immediately transported to a nearby hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
Arthur-Wastell confirmed that no FBOP or firing range staff members were injured in the incident.
Leading the investigation is the FBI, with support from Phoenix police. The FBI clarified in a statement: “To ensure the thoroughness and impartiality of the investigation, specific details of the ongoing process will remain confidential. The results of the FBI’s investigation will subsequently be handed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, for evaluation.”
