In a tragic turn of events on a November afternoon in 2022, Robert Lizarraga, a 47-year-old male, lost his life in a senseless act of violence at his workplace in the Whetstone area, near Huachuca City, Arizona. The incident unfolded at Desert RV Sales, where a masked gunman, later identified as Bruce Alvin Hansberry Jr., 37, entered the business and began shooting.
The ordeal began when Hansberry, a disabled U.S. Army veteran, arrived at the RV dealership and opened fire with an AR-15.
His first victim was Jordan Barajas, 18, who was shot in the back. As Barajas lay wounded, Hansberry stood over him and shot him again, this time in the face. Witnessing the horrific attack on his nephew and co-worker, Robert Lizarraga reacted with incredible bravery. In an attempt to stop the rampage, he drove his truck towards Hansberry. In response, Hansberry fired seven rounds into the vehicle, one of which fatally struck Lizarraga in the chest.
Following the shooting, Hansberry fled the scene in his car, which he abandoned nearby. This initiated a manhunt that led to the shutdown of a major state route for several hours. He was eventually apprehended in the desert a few miles from the crime scene later that evening. When questioned by investigators, Hansberry inquired about the number and severity of casualties, a line of questioning one detective noted was typical of a military After Action Report. He also revealed that his infant daughter had been left home alone.
Bruce Alvin Hansberry Jr. was arrested and subsequently indicted on one count of first-degree murder for the death of Robert Lizarraga and nine counts of attempted murder, which included his nephew Jordan Barajas and a three-year-old who was present at the scene. The motive for the attack remains unclear, though witnesses reported that upon his return to the business, a masked Hansberry was yelling, 'Where is she?'. Lizarraga was remembered by his family as a kind and devoted husband and father to two young daughters, for whom he was the primary provider.
