Tax Agent Fatally Shoots Another During Routine Training Exercise in Arizona

Outside of Phoenix, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has a training center. An IRS agent shot and killed another agent yesterday during an unspecified training exercise. IRS Criminal Investigations Division agents were among those training at the federally owned site yesterday, carrying guns.

The IRS issued the statement below:

We are aware of an incident involving one of our special agents that occurred during a routine training exercise at the Federal Correctional Institution, Phoenix firing range. The agent was immediately taken to HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center to be treated for the injury. The agent passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital. The incident is under investigation.

Our concern today is for the agent and their family.

In addition to the Bureau of Prison, the FBI has been called in to try to figure out what the hell happened.

The FBI’s Phoenix field office is conducting an investigation surrounding the death of an IRS special agent today that occurred at the Federal Correctional Institution, Phoenix firing range.

While the firing range is on Bureau of Prisons grounds, an interagency agreement allows for other law enforcement agencies to use the facility for training purposes. Today, the IRS was at the range for routine training.

To preserve the integrity and capabilities of the investigation, details of the ongoing process will not be released. Findings of the FBI investigation will be turned over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona for review.

The FBI’s investigation will be methodical and thorough to address every element of the incident.

 

If they determine that the shooting reflects poorly on either the range or the IRS, don’t expect much transparency. It’s unclear whether the agents involved are among the 87,000 new personnel made by the Biden administration under the aptly called “Inflation Reduction Act.”

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