Four Tucson residents now face federal charges following a shooting incident involving an undercover Tucson Police Department officer, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday. The group is accused of firing at the officer's vehicle in April—a move that authorities have described as a blatant assault on law enforcement and public safety.
Hassan Omar Kassim, 19, and Jaquvon Terell Poe, 20, have been charged with aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Daniel Cardenas, 18, faces a charge for the actual use of a firearm in the same context. Meanwhile, Alexandra Brooke Wisdom, 19, has been charged as an accessory after the fact for her alleged involvement post-incident, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement.
United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine remarked on the gravity of attacks against law enforcement, stating, "Any attack on law enforcement is an attack on the rule of law," highlighting the collaborative effort of the Tucson Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in responding to such threats, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office website. Diana Duffy, Assistant Chief of the Tucson Police Department, expressed gratitude for the swift prioritization and arrest of the suspects involved in the shooting, underscoring the importance of partnerships in maintaining community security.
Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke from the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office reiterated the importance of holding those who perpetrate violence against law enforcement accountable. "These individuals demonstrated a clear disregard for human life, and we are grateful that no law enforcement personnel or civilians were injured during this dangerous encounter," Janke emphasized on the U.S. Attorney's Office. Notably, a marked patrol officer's attempt to stop the vehicle involved in the shooting resulted in a brief chase before the suspects eluded the police.
Further investigation allowed detectives and special agents to identify Kassim as the driver during the April 20 incident, with Poe as the other rear passenger-side occupant. Wisdom's purported role came later when she allegedly transported the car to a new location to abandon it, removing items that were later retrieved from her residence. Despite the serious nature of the allegations, the U.S. Attorney's Office reminds the public that an indictment is not a determination of guilt. All accused parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case is currently being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. Rossi from the District of Arizona, Tucson.
