TPD releases video, asks public for help solving UA student shooting at house party

By KGUN News Staff

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — Tucson Police held a press conference Tuesday morning to update the homicide investigation of 20-year-old University of Arizona sophomore Erin Jones.

Jones was shot and killed during a house party on the 3200 block of 5th Street in Midtown in late April.

Despite two weeks of investigating, TPD has not named any suspects.

Police are now pleading for more tips and asking the public if they recognize the people captured on surveillance video in an alley behind a business at 5th Street and Country Club, just a few doors down from the party.

The footage features audio of a terrified scream and bursts of gunfire.

Captain Doug Foster of TPD’s Central Investigations Division says the shooting lasted for more than six minutes.

“We collected over 80 shell casings at this crime scene,” he said.

Young people who appear to be party guests are seen in the footage running from the scene. Suddenly, one group scrambles to hide as a car drives by with a person hanging out the side.

Police want to identify that car and passenger, who they say may have been armed.

“I’m confident that there are numerous people out in our community who know who the shooters are, and have information that can help us break this case,” Foster said.

Police also want to identify a group of young men seen in the video.

“We believe them just to be witnesses or victims at this point,” Foster explained. “A number of them were on their phones. We suspect that they may have good video, other photos of that vehicle, of the incident itself.”

Police confirmed this was a party promoted on social media and organized by UA football players. Some players were renting the house where this all unfolded.

TPD also says a search warrant returned three weapons and ammunition that legally belonged to people living at the house, but it’s unclear if the weapons were involved in the incident. A forensics team is investigating.

“We believe that there was some type of confrontation between groups or individuals who showed up at the party, likely uninvited, maybe not even affiliated with the football team or those who were throwing the party,” said Foster. “And this confrontation… ultimately escalated into this shooting.”

TPD says there’s no evidence that Jones was targeted. They urge people at the party to come forward and forget concerns about being linked to the party or underage drinking.

“That is not our concern,” said Foster. “We need to know what happened here, who was involved, who was present, and how we can get to the bottom of this, to bring justice for Erin, peace to her family, and a sense of safety in the Tucson community.”

There is a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an arrest in this case and tips can be anonymous. If you have any information, call 911, 88-CRIME, or the TPD Homicide Unit at 520-837-7565.

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