SOUTH TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Tucson man says he was pepper-sprayed while documenting an immigration enforcement presence at a Walgreens in South Tucson, Monday morning.
The man, Steven Davis, is a volunteer observer for the Tucson Community Rapid Response Team. It is a community-based network of volunteers and organizations that monitors and responds to immigration enforcement activity in the Tucson area.
Davis says he arrived to Walgreens, off of 6th Avenue and 29th Street, after hearing reports of about four to five ICE cars in the parking lot.
Davis says he began recording as agents interacted with other observers and bystanders outside. Davis tells me that just after 10 a.m., he greeted and began recording a plain-clothed, masked agent as he was getting out of his car, and noticed the agent was carrying pepper spray.
"He came by me once, and he looked like he was going to spray me. I said, 'I have a legal right to observe and record.' And he went by me, and then he came by a second time. Just as he was walking past me, he held up the pepper spray gun and just gave me a blast point blank in the face," Davis described.
He explained what happened after the agent openly pepper-sprayed him and others in the parking lot.
"I couldn't say anything. I collapsed. I just fell in the middle of the parking lot, and I was completely stunned. I've never experienced that level of pain in my life. And it's not like a bee sting, it's not like a pain that goes away after you scratch it or after a few minutes. It's like someone has poured molten lava on your head. It was eyes, nose, face, mouth, and so, I hit the ground and someone went to get some water. I had like a 32 ounce thing of Gatorade and I started rinsing my eyes with Arctic Blast Gatorade," Davis described.
"It's terrifying. He had no insignia. He had nothing on, not even a vest that said ICE. It was just a dude in a plaid shirt and a face mask. He never identified himself to me, never spoke to me," Davis added.
I reached out to South Tucson Police about what happened, here is what Commander Raul Navarro stated:
"My officer happened to be on his way to the Walgreens for an unrelated shoplifting call.
When an altercation had occurred between what appears to be ICE agents and bystanders, that’s when a call for the disturbance/assistance came in.
We were not assisting ICE or part of any operation.
What we know is that ICE was there at the Walgreens. Between them and the others involved they was apparently some pushing of the ICE vehicles and someone laying on the ground in front of the unmarked ICE vehicle. ICE left and we called for medical attention for those pepper sprayed but those individuals did not want to give us any information or want our assistance. We still however stood by so they could be treated.
We had no reports of any immigration enforcement within our city yesterday."
I also reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for a comment and am waiting to hear back.
Hear more from Davis this evening on KGUN 9 news.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
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