On the evening of February 25, 2023, Warren Lee Lewis, a 61-year-old Black / African American man, was walking with another person along North Stone Avenue in Tucson, Arizona. Their walk was tragically interrupted when a passing vehicle opened fire, striking Mr. Lewis. A security guard working nearby heard the gunshots and discovered him near the road.
First responders were dispatched to the scene at the southwest corner of North Stone Avenue and West Fort Lowell Road.
Paramedics from the Tucson Fire Department treated Mr. Lewis for gunshot trauma before transporting him to Banner University Medical Center. Despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
Tucson Police Department homicide detectives immediately began an investigation. Initially, no suspects were identified after officers canvassed the area for witnesses and processed the scene for evidence. However, through an extensive review of forensic evidence, investigators were able to identify 25-year-old Carlos Gandara Jr. as the suspect.
On July 26, 2023, several months after the shooting, officers located Gandara at a residence near North Flowing Wells Road and West Fort Lowell Road. Members of the TPD SWAT team assisted in taking him into custody safely. Carlos Gandara Jr. was arrested and booked into the Pima County Jail on an arrest warrant for first-degree murder, drive-by shooting, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
