RYE, AZ — One person is dead and two people are at large after a possible theft led to a shooting involving Gila County sheriff's deputies early Friday morning.
Just after 11:45 p.m. Thursday, the Gila County Sheriff's Office received a report of a possible theft ongoing at a business near Rye, south of Payson.
Deputies arrived on the scene and found a pickup truck pulling a trailer with a UTV loaded and towing other UTVs.
Deputies attempted to contact the people there, but the driver of the truck failed to comply with deputy commands.
That is when GCSO says a deputy fired his weapon, hitting the truck's driver.
The driver, who has not yet been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.
GCSO says at least two other men fled the scene when deputies made contact. They are both still at large.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety is investigating the shooting involving deputies, and GCSO is investigating the other crimes involved.
They are asking anyone with information about this incident to call the sheriff's office at 928-425-4449.
