Victim Named in Tucson Hotel Shooting

New Details Emerge in Tucson Hotel Shooting

Tucson Police Department has shared fresh details about a tragic shooting that occurred at the Grand Luxe Hotel on Sunday, July 27. Officers arrived at the scene just before 9 a.m. after receiving reports of a shooting at the location, which is situated at 1365 West Grant Road.

According to statements from detectives, the incident began with an altercation between individuals prior to the shooting. One witness, Tessa Diego, who lives in the hotel, described hearing an argument as she opened her door. She attempted to intervene, saying, “Hey, please don’t shoot.”

Diego recounted how she saw a man carrying groceries being approached by other men, one of whom displayed a gun. “He flashed a gun, and when he had flashed his gun, the victim was so scared, you could see in that moment, the fight or flight in his body. He had groceries, he threw them straight up into the air, they exploded everywhere and he ran for his life, trying to save his own life and they chased him and shot him,” she said.

The Tucson Police Department confirmed that 32-year-old Andrew Jacob Valencia died at the scene. A second individual, a 33-year-old man, was taken to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Diego also mentioned that the injured man ended up lying in front of her door, with others coming to assist him. “I go to peer out just my little blind here and I see the man lying on my porch bleeding and then I see a whole bunch of people coming over to him, trying to patch him up or put things to his wound to help him stop bleeding,” she said.

Surveillance footage captured at least two individuals fleeing the area on a red and white dirt bike. Authorities are currently working to identify these individuals and have urged anyone with information to contact 88-CRIME. Tips can be submitted anonymously.

This is not the first time the hotel has made headlines. Weeks prior, a man attempted to set the hotel on fire. The Tucson Police Department reported that 34-year-old Cameron Michael Buell was arrested on charges including arson of an occupied structure, criminal damage, and criminal endangerment. He is currently held on a $50,000 bond.

A post on a Facebook group called Tucson Police Scanner Group Uncensored shared photos and video of Buell in the hotel lobby before the fire. In the video, Buell can be seen pouring an accelerant on the hotel front desk and setting it on fire before fleeing the scene.

The surrounding area has long been plagued with issues. The nearby Huckelberry Loop, from Grant to Congress, has been known for drug activity and homeless encampments. Pima County initiated a program to hire security guards to patrol the area at night, but this effort lasted only 10 months before being discontinued. Law enforcement stated that the patrols did not yield significant results, and they already know how to target the area effectively.

For residents like Tessa Diego, living in the area is fraught with fear, yet there are limited options. “It’s very chaotic. It’s a lot of crime, and it’s a lot of it, it’s kind of traumatizing, honestly,” she said, adding that she doesn’t have much choice. “It’s what I can afford.”