Sierra Vista Company

Ranger shot trying to stop armed holdup 

Victim in critical condition 

JOE HINTON

Herald/Review

    A Sierra Vista man was clinging to life this morning at a Tucson hospital after being shot twice in the head as he attempted to intervene in an armed robbery Sunday. 

    Authorities were looking for a man today in connection with the case. Patrick Reese Slay, 22, a former Fort Huachuca soldier involved in an ambush attack in March against a reputed Sierra Vista gang member, was being sought by police agencies. 

    Sierra Vista police are withholding the name of the victim for his protection while the suspect remains at large. 

    Police say the victim, a member of the volunteer law enforcement group the Arizona Rangers, is in critical condition at Tucson's University Medical Center with two gunshot wounds to the head and one in his wrist. 

    The man was shot about 10 p.m. Sunday night at the First Interstate Bank at 50 E. Fry Boulevard. As reported by police, the victim interrupted an armed holdup of another man who was allegedly robbed of $200 at the bank's automatic teller machine. Police say the victim was shot near the rear of the bank where he was making a deposit with another Rangers member. 

    Police declined to name the individual being sought for questioning. But a Cochise County Sheriffs Deputy confirmed Sierra Vista Police had issued an attempt to locate request for Slay in connection with the attempted murder. 

   Slay is currently free on bond in connection with an attempted murder charge that police have characterized as a gang-related, armed attack against Marc Christian, 22, March 28 in front of a Berridge Drive home. 

    A motion to drop the charge against Slay in the Christian shooting for lack of evidence has been riled' by the Cochise County Attorney's Office, but has yet to be acted on by Superior Court Judge Matthew W. Borowiec, the judge's clerk said this morning. 

    Two other former soldiers still face attempted murder charges in connection with the attack against Christian. A third former soldier has signed a plea agreement to reduced charges of attempted assault in return for his promise to testify against the two other soldiers still facing attempted murder charges. Slay also was the target of an armed ambush assault in June in front of a Sierra Vista apartment complex after he was released from jail on $20,000 bond in connection with the Christian shooting. Slay escaped injury in the attack but his vehicle was riddled with bullet holes. 

     Police today were searching for Slay in a car described as a black, 1987 Nissan Maxima with grey pin stripes. Slay allegedly switched cars with a friend following Sunday's shooting, officials said. At the time of tile shooting Slay was believed to be driving a cream colored 1984 Nissan, the same car in which he was sitting when he was ambushed in June.