Man found guilty of killing federal agent Chase White in Tucson
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - Ryan Phillip Schlesinger has been found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of U.S. Deputy Marshal Chase White in Tucson in 2018.
On Monday, Nov. 13, a jury found Schlesinger guilty of several charges, including second-degree murder of a federal agent. Schlesinger could face life in prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 22, 2024.
In November 2018, the 41-year-old White was part of a group of Marshals Service personnel serving a warrant at Schleslinger’s home on allegations he stalked a Tucson police officer.
White was an Air Force reservist who was preparing for another deployment. He was married and had four children, according to the U.S. Marshals.
Investigators said Schlesinger opened fire and killed White. Schlesinger was also injured in the shooting and was arrested following a standoff.
According to a criminal complaint, Schlesinger had been stalking a sergeant in the Tucson Police Department.
The TPD, including the sergeant who he was accused of stalking, had previous contact with Schlesinger on Nov. 18, 2017. They were serving a Title 36 emergency petition, according to the complaint.
While there, Schlesinger allegedly threatened to kill officers and reached for a loaded handgun. Police used a stun gun on him and he was taken into custody.
In April 2018, Schlesinger began emailing Tucson police demanding the return of his handgun and other evidence that was taken in the November 2017 incident. The emails also allegedly contained threatening statements.
The complaint said Schlesinger made several appearances over a period of several months at the police department and a home belonging to the sergeant’s parents to make citizen’s arrests of police, including the sergeant, whom he confronted in person at the Miracle Mile station. That meeting was recorded on a body-worn camera.
In an online complaint filed by Schlesinger, he allegedly described a scenario in which he would be surrounded by TPD employees with their weapons drawn, and that he’d have no choice but to “render harmless the threat/s. ... I don’t think anybody wants this turning into a shootout at the OK Corral.”
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