Second Suspect in Tucson Police Cadet Shooting Arrested Following Weeklong Manhunt

Authorities apprehended Alex James Barnett, 33, on Monday evening at an apartment complex near East Broadway Boulevard and South Camino Seco in Tucson following a lengthy investigation into the home invasion shooting of police recruit Carlos Ramirez, 23. County SWAT officers located Barnett after receiving a tip around 6 p.m. and took him into custody following a three-hour standoff without further injuries, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.

The fatal attack occurred early Wednesday morning at Ramirez’s residence in southwestern Tucson. Ramirez was scheduled to graduate from the police academy on August 27 and had previously worked as a corrections officer for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. His 23-year-old fiancée, also employed as a corrections officer with the department, sustained injuries during the incident and was hospitalized in stable condition.

Barnett is being held without bail at the Pima County jail alongside Santiago Jorge Rogers, 39, who was arrested Saturday morning at a hotel near Tucson International Airport. Court records indicate Barnett has prior convictions for burglary and weapons offenses and has used the alias Alex Wilson. In December 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful imprisonment charges.

Surveillance footage captured individuals identified as Rogers and Barnett dressed entirely in black at a gas station approximately 20 minutes before the shooting. A third man connected to the suspect vehicle has been contacted by authorities but has not been charged as investigators determine the extent of his involvement in the case.