In the early afternoon of May 3, 2024, a series of events tragically culminated in the death of 47-year-old Nathan Daniel Gabaldon in Tucson, Arizona. The situation began to unfold when Gabaldon was involved in a physical altercation with 24-year-old Anthony Avalos in a neighborhood located in the 500 block of South Park Avenue. Following their fight, Avalos reportedly fired a gun but did not hit anyone.
After this initial confrontation, Gabaldon made his way to a nearby area where
several tents were set up near Aviation Highway. There, his behavior escalated, and he began assaulting multiple people, including an adult female and a dog. In response to Gabaldon's actions, the woman he was assaulting managed to get the firearm from Avalos. She pointed the weapon at Gabaldon and gave him multiple commands to leave the area and cease his aggressive behavior.
Despite her warnings, Gabaldon advanced toward the armed woman. It was at this moment that she discharged the firearm, striking Gabaldon. When officers from the Tucson Police Department and personnel from the Tucson Fire Department arrived at the scene, they found Gabaldon with obvious signs of trauma. Despite their life-saving efforts, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath, law enforcement detained both the female shooter and Anthony Avalos. Avalos was subsequently arrested and charged with Discharging a Firearm Within City Limits and was booked into the Pima County Jail. The woman who shot Gabaldon was not immediately charged, and the case was forwarded to the Pima County Attorney's Office for review.
