Weather Improves, Sad Day In The RV Park, & The Aftermath

It seems we may have gotten over the hump of the terribly cold weather here in Benson, Arizona. We've had several warm, dry days, with daytime temperatures in the 70s and low 80s, and overnight temperatures staying in the mid to upper 40s.

You can tell people have been waiting for the improved weather. More folks are out walking, sitting outside, chatting, and laughing together.

Not much has changed in our routine. Linda is going to the Forever Home donkey rescue several days a week, I'm playing pickleball almost daily, and I've been sprinkling in some Alaska planning with other bits of website work and writing. And we're still enjoying game nights with friends.

 

However, this past Wednesday, an incident in the RV park has created a pall over the park.

Wednesday morning around 8:40, Linda was leaving to go to Forever Home to brush the donkeys, and I was getting ready to walk out the door to head to the pickleball court near the front of the RV park. I was confused when she came back quickly. She said, "The exits are all blocked off. There's been a shooting in the park."

She said it was at an RV across the road from the pickleball court; the home of a guy I played pickleball with almost every day.

The situation was under control, and we walked up to see what had happened and if anyone was hurt. This occurred in the northwest part of the park near the main road, and we're in the southeast part part of the park several roads and rows of RVs away. Linda had heard the popping sounds of the gunshots a few minutes before she left, but she thought it was something else, perhaps a nail gun.

When we arrived, crime scene tape was strewn around the area. There were several law enforcement officers with lots of visible firearms.

The motorhome windshield had several bullet holes, ....

 

Photo credit: Chris Dabovich, San Pedro Valley News Sun

 

and everyone was milling around with a few people describing what they saw. As we wandered toward the park office, we saw the suspect handcuffed and sitting on a stretcher. I wouldn't call him a friend, but we became fairly well acquainted on the pickleball court, and it was sad to see him like that especially since we hadn't yet heard the official story.

We came to find out that that Homeland Security, with the assistance of the Benson Police Department, had come in that morning to serve a search warrant at the motorhome as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Things suddenly escalated when shots were fired inside the motorhome, and law enforcement (specifically Homeland Security) peppered the motorhome windshield with gunfire.

Fortunately, no one was shot. The suspect came away with minor injuries, and he was taken into custody without further incident. No other RVs were hit by gunfire and no law enforcement agents or bystanders were injured.

Rumors began and there was a lot of speculation as to what had happened. Two news stations from Tucson arrived and filmed reports outside the park.

Weirdly, and amazingly, most everyone in the RV park just went back to their rigs and continued a normal day. One of the three park exits was opened within a half an hour, and Linda left to de-stress with the donkeys. There was no mass hysteria or demanding of answers. Everyone seemed to concur that it was an isolated incident that went wrong, and we were all glad that it didn't turn out much worse.

We later learned the search warrant was part of an investigation into child pornography. Homeland Security completed their on-site investigation, and then the shooting investigation was turned over to the Benson Police Department. The Benson PD investigation ended around 3:00, the crime scene tape was removed, and the park was back to normal .... except for a bullet-riddled motorhome in front of the observatory at a prominent spot in the park that everyone has to drive by when they leave.

 

We checked the news stories that came out later in the day. All of media outlets reported things that just weren't true as they created their own narrative. A couple quoted people outside the park as "witnesses" although several eyewitnesses inside the park were available. Only one outlet made a correction after the fact, and only the local newspaper did any follow-up. The promises of the others to "stay on top of the story" or to "provide more information as it becomes available" went unfulfilled. It's no wonder so many people don't trust the media - they have earned that distrust.

So, news reports were conflicting with some false information, rumors in the community of Benson were running rampant, and everyone had questions.

 

Today, Friday, the park held a meeting in which the Benson Chief of Police and his primary investigator came to answer questions. It was standing room only in the banquet hall, as the police explained the events and provided what information they could.

Though they couldn't come right out and say it, it appears that the gunshots inside the RV were an attempt to destroy evidence, and the suspect wasn't shooting at officers. But they didn't know that at the time, and the shots from the suspect quickly escalated the situation and made it much more dangerous. Again, it was fortunate that the incident ended as quickly as it did without anyone other than the suspect being hurt. 

The police department was only assisting in serving the search warrant, and it was to be a pretty routine thing although they always prepare for the worst. The Chief said this was like a one-in-a-thousand situation based on his experience, and it was the first time one of his officers radioed in "Shots fired!" in the serving of a search warrant in his jurisdiction.

Both the suspect and his wife are/were workampers here at the RV park, and currently there is no evidence his wife was involved; however, some are skeptical. It is weird and uncomfortable as those of us that don't know her have no idea what to say to her when we see her, and having a shot-up RV in this nice park in a site where it is seen every day by everyone is simply bizarre. Apparently, both the spouse and the motorhome will be leaving the park in a few days.

 

Now, I try to stay in the camp of "innocent until proven guilty", although it doesn't look good for the suspect. Due to the discharge of his weapon, he is facing state charges now, even if the feds found nothing with respect to their search warrant. Of course, if he is found guilty in the child pornography investigation, well, .... to say I would have no sympathy would be a massive understatement.

All I know is that if the warrant had been served fifteen minutes later, Linda would have been driving right through the scene. And if it had been served a half hour later, I would have been right there on the pickleball court a few feet a way ..... and the suspect may have been with me and a few others. It's hit us a little harder because we both "know" him. If it had been someone we had no interaction with, we could separate from this easier.

 

At the end of the meeting, the attendees praised and applauded the law enforcement officers, everyone was quite relieved no one got hurt, and those that live here in the RV park on a seasonal or longer-term basis have come together to support each other as a big family.

As RVers, we can't always escape the dangers of society, but our family is large and we look out for each other as best we can. Although our homes are on wheels, we have a nationwide "neighborhood" we can count on more than any other traditional community we've ever been a part of. It's a comforting thought at the end of this strange week.

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Comments

[cori & greg]

Wow....that's an interesting situation. Glad all are safe, but can imagine it's a little bizarre considering you knew him!

[Howard]

Cori & Greg,
Yes, it's weird. But we're fine. Better than Lee. Glad you guys were able to be there for Lee & Trace.

[Jo Rainville]

Glad you and Linda are okay. Our thoughts are with everyone there.

[Nancy and Bill]

Glad all is OK!!! While the incident is unnerving, it does serve as a reminder of how fortunate we are to live the life we do and how fortunate we are to have the RV community to call home!! Be safe!!

[Rob]

"Homeland Security" was serving a warrant in an RV park in Arizona for kiddy porn. Shots were fired, a wokcamper was wounded, arrested and nothing was found after the search.

Who is Homeland Security? What happened to the FBI, the Marshal Service or the postal inspectors?

Odd happenings these days.

[Mary McGhee]

Wow ,but glad you all are ok.

[Gene]

Glad you guys are okay. As we all know how thin the walls of an RV are, it's amazing no one inside or outside the RV was killed or injured by the loose rounds. Also thanks for not jumping on the rumor wagon and just reporting what you could verify.

[Howard]

Rob, No one said "nothing was found". Both agencies completed their on-site investigations, but Homeland Security confiscated evidence and that investigation continues.

We too have wondered why Homeland Security was involved rather than the FBI. I have a feeling that this was part of something much bigger, but we may never know.

[Howard]

Bill & Nancy,
Yes it is a reminder of what wonderful people we have in our "circle", yourselves included. :)

[Howard]

Thanks Mary.

[Howard]

Gene,
Yes, this could have been far worse. We're not sure if it was pure luck no one else was hit, extreme skill on the part of the Homeland Security officer that fired in such a way that rounds only went in one direction away from other units, or a combination of both.

[Jerry]

Glad no one was harmed and things are getting back to normal.

Carol and I had a similar scenario from a few years back. We were workampers in a large park in Texas. I worked maintenance with another fellow who (in my opinion) had daily anger issues. His wife was OK. We enjoyed several campground activities together with them and others.

About 2 years after leaving that park, we found out he and his wife were arrested for murder and conspiracy to commit murder from a crime that occurred about 5 years prior to our meeting them in Texas.

Sorry to sat that he died in prison while awaiting trial. His wife was released because of weak evidence.

It is said you meet interesting people while workamping.