TUCSON, AZ – A post-midnight house party in Tucson ended in tragedy over the weekend after a shooting incident that resulted in the death of a local university student and injured three others. According to the Tucson Police, the incident is still under investigation.
20-year-old Erin Jones, a University of Arizona student, attended the ill-fated party where she was shot and later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. Three others, one of which was a UArizona football player, suffered non-lethal gunshot wounds.
Friends of the deceased have turned to social media, posting loving tributes and personal photos of Jones. Emily Braga, a friend of Jones, described her as a once-in-a-lifetime friend who was selfless, fun-loving, and deeply committed to family and friends.
Jones’ previous school in California, Corona del Mar Campus, expressed sorrow over her tragic passing. The principal’s statement painted a picture of her as a socially active student, particularly within the soccer community, concluding that her loss would be deeply felt across the campus.
The unfortunate incident unfolded near East 5th Street and Country Club Road where the Tucson Police Department (TPD) responded to multiple reports of a shooting incident. It was here that officers found four victims with gunshot wounds.
The shooting came amidst reports of an armed robbery happening within the same weekend, adding fuel to concerns about student safety in and around the university premises. In the past year, accounts of attempted kidnappings, sexual assaults, and other unseemly incidents have raised red flags, stirring a dialogue among the university community for greater protective measures in place.
As the TPD expends resource in finding the perpetrator and determining the reasons leading up to this shooting, they are urging anyone with useful information to come forward. Contact can be made via their emergency hotline or the Tucson crime tip line.