Suspected Human Smuggler Shot by Federal Agents
A suspected illegal immigrant smuggler was shot and killed by federal agents on Tuesday. This individual, identified as Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, had a history of similar offenses, as records indicate he was previously convicted of related crimes.
Law enforcement recognized Schlegel as a potential suspect in a human trafficking case that took place around 7:30 a.m. near Arivaca, Arizona, which is just a few miles from the Mexico border. According to officials, everyone in the vehicle fled on foot. Notably, Schlegel had already been convicted in a $40,000 human smuggling operation.
Later that day, Border Patrol agents noticed the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. Schlegel, however, ran away on foot. Reports suggest that during the chase, he fired shots at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter and also at individual agents.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security mentioned that a trooper returned fire, hitting Schlegel. He was subsequently hospitalized, underwent surgery, and is expected to recover.
Authorities revealed that Schlegel will likely face multiple federal charges, including assault on a federal officer, alien smuggling, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Heiss Jahnke, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix division, noted that Schlegel has a “significant criminal history.” He even has an active federal arrest warrant from the U.S. Marshals Service dating back to 2025 after he evaded capture related to a federal alien smuggling conviction.
In May 2023, Schlegel was found guilty of illegally transporting aliens for profit and possessing a firearm as a felon after being accused of smuggling individuals into the country. On May 20, 2023, he was apprehended while allegedly attempting to facilitate the crossing of 16 individuals at the southern border. A criminal complaint details how cameras captured Schlegel’s vehicle picking up these individuals, only for them to jump out as a Border Patrol operation unfolded.
Witness Adela Martinez Lopez reported that her cousin paid $12,000 for his smuggling services, with two other individuals claiming they were charged $14,000 each. However, it’s unclear if all the funds were directly tied to Schlegel. In January 2024, he received a three-year prison sentence.
Schlegel also faced a weapons offense conviction in 2024, as per Arizona court records.
During a recent news conference, Sheriff Nanos stated that multiple shots were fired during the incident, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for any abuse of law enforcement in Pima County.
