In the city of Tucson, a young man named Minhaj Jamshidi, who was of Afghan descent, sought a peaceful life with his family after they fled their home country in 2021. The 19-year-old was a student at Pima Community College and a frequent presence at the sand volleyball courts on the University of Arizona campus. It was a place where he often gathered with friends and relatives, enjoying the simple pleasure of a game.
On the night of Sunday, September 22, 2024, the familiar setting of
the volleyball courts near the Arizona-Sonora Residence Hall turned into a scene of violence. While Jamshidi was playing, an argument broke out, escalating into a series of small fights. In the ensuing chaos, a gunshot rang out, and Jamshidi was fatally wounded. His friends and family rushed to his side, carrying him to a nearby car with the intention of taking him to the hospital. They decided instead to wait for first responders. University of Arizona Police officers arrived within minutes and performed life-saving measures for nearly ten minutes, but tragically, Minhaj Jamshidi could not be saved.
The investigation into the shooting quickly focused on identifying a suspect who was known to frequent the volleyball courts but whose name was not known to the victim's circle of friends. Witnesses described the man, and the University of Arizona Police Department launched a search. The suspect was publicly identified as 20-year-old Ryan Romero-Encinas, who was not a student at the university.
After a three-day manhunt, the search for Romero-Encinas came to an end. On the afternoon of September 25, he returned to his apartment on Wetmore Road. His roommates promptly called 911, and Romero-Encinas surrendered to the authorities without incident. He was arrested by University of Arizona and Tucson police officers and booked into the Pima County Jail. Ryan Romero-Encinas was subsequently charged with first-degree murder for the death of Minhaj Jamshidi.
