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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bullets strike staffer's car at Daniel Hernandez's campaign office
Daniel Hernandez in 2023. Photo by Gage Skidmore | Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 A shooting outside the campaign headquarters of longtime gun safety advocate and congressional candidate Daniel Hernandez left his family and staffers shaken Thursday afternoon. At around 5:15 p.m., according to a statement from the Tucson Police Department, officers responded to a call about vandalism and possible vehicle damage at the Hernandez family home, which doubles as his campaign headquarters. A staffer's car was struck by a bullet, and shell casings were found at the scene. No one was harmed. The investigation remains ongoing and no arrests have yet been made. Hernandez, a Democrat who is running in the special election to represent Arizona's 7th Congressional district, lamented the 'deeply unsettling' danger his family and team were in and denounced what he said was another in a long string of threats against his political career. 'As a gun violence survivor, I know this fear all too well — and over the years, my family and I have endured repeated death threats,' he said in a written statement. 'Our family, our staff, and our supporters deserve to feel safe. Violence and intimidation have no place in our politics. We will not be deterred, and we will share more information as it becomes available.' Hernandez has served in public office since 2017, when he was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives. Along with his younger sisters, current state Reps. Alma Hernandez and Consuelo Hernandez, the trio has established a progressive brand that emphasizes LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights and gun safety. The race to represent Arizona's 7th Congressional district is just a week away. The registration deadline to vote in the special primary election is June 16, and early voting begins on June 18. Hernandez faces a crowded field to win the Democratic nomination in the heavily Democratic district. The percentage of voters in the district who cast their ballots for Democratic candidates is more than twice that of those for Republicans. Leading the pack are Hernandez and Adelita Grijalva, a veteran of Tucson-area politics who has netted endorsements from high-profile figures like U.S. Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly. Grijalva is seeking to continue the legacy of her father, U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva, who represented the district for more than two decades until his death from cancer in April. In a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Adelita Grijalva expressed her opposition to gun violence and her relief that no one was hurt. 'My thoughts are with the Hernandez family and campaign team tonight,' she wrote. 'I'm relieved to learn that everyone is safe. We deserve safe communities free from gun violence.' Concern over gun violence is a key part of Hernandez's political platform. In 2011, he interned for U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords and was credited with helping save her life when she was shot in 2011. That experience informed his commitment to gun safety advocacy, and he later became the state director for Everytown for Gun Safety, heading the organization's efforts to enshrine stricter regulations in Arizona law from 2012 through 2014. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Associated Press
06-02-2025
- Associated Press
Heroic Tucson PD School Safety Officer honored by Supt. Horne
TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A heroic effort by School Safety Officer William Bonanno of the Tucson Police Department to protect children from an armed intruder at an east side school last month was recognized by state schools chief Tom Horne and Off Duty Management today. Tucson Police Officer William Bonanno was presented a Certificate of Commendation from Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Tom Horne in addition to a Valor in Action Award from Off Duty Management President Brian Manley. Officer Bonanno arrested an armed intruder at an Arizona school in January. Off Duty Management is working with Arizona Department of Education to help place armed police officers in schools. Officer Bonanno was placed at the school under this partnership. From left are, Legacy Traditional Schools East Campus Principal Jennifer Little, Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Tom Horne, Tucson Police Officer William Bonanno, Off Duty Management President Brian Manley, Arizona Department of Education Director of School Safety Mike Kurtenbach. Horne presented Bonanno with a Certificate of Commendation and noted that his actions at the Legacy Charter School, in which he confronted and arrested an armed intruder, saved lives. Bonanno had been recently assigned to the school because in December, Supt. Horne released $48 million in added school safety funds that had not been fully utilized. Legacy Charter was among the first schools to apply for and receive funding to hire a School Safety Officer. Horne said, 'Officer Bonanno prevented the nightmare I have often talked about. 20 students and additional adults would have lost their lives, and the student's parents would have had their lives ruined by uncontrollable grief. I know about this because I have lost a child. Those who have been opposing police in the schools need to rethink this issue. Think of the unimaginable tragedy that would have occurred if that School Safety Officer had not been there, or if he had been hired a little later.' School Safety Officers are law enforcement officers assigned to schools that do not have a dedicated School Resource Officer. Several such officers are used to ensure full-time coverage of a school during the week. In 2023, the department began a public-private partnership with Off Duty Management, a company that assists in the placement of officers from multiple police jurisdictions statewide. Officer Bonanno was placed at the school under this partnership. In addition to the certificate of commendation presented by Supt. Horne, Off Duty Management President Brian Manley recognized Officer Bonanno with a Valor in Action Award from Off Duty Management. 'The Off Duty Management Team is grateful that Officer Bonanno's immediate action protected the lives and wellbeing of the children, school staff, and others present at the school that day. Without Officer Bonanno's commitment to service, the excellence of Tucson Police Department under Chief Kasmar's leadership, and the vision of Superintendent Tom Horne and Director Mike Kurtenbach of the Arizona Department of Education in putting this program and our partnership in place, this event would likely have ended in tragedy.' Off Duty Management was founded by former law enforcement officers designed to support law enforcement initiatives. The company works directly with local law enforcement agencies and school districts to fill vacant School Safety Officer positions. Off Duty Management's OfficerTRAK® software and mobile app make it easy for officers to schedule an off-duty job opportunity as a School Safety Officer at various schools in participating Arizona school districts. About Arizona Department of Education Under the leadership of Superintendent Tom Horne, the Arizona Department of Education's mission is a service organization committed to raising academic outcomes and empowering parents. For more information, visit About Off Duty Management Off Duty Management, headquartered in the greater Houston area, is dedicated to serving and safeguarding law enforcement agencies, officers, and community organizations by offering an innovative solution that manages all aspects of off-duty programs. In addition to full-service administration, the company's proprietary software, OfficerTRAK®, and broad insurance coverage limits the risk associated with off-duty work. Off Duty Management provides all these components at no cost to the agency or officers. With a seasoned team of law enforcement professionals, Off Duty Management provides exceptional service to municipalities, schools, various other organizations and the largest law enforcement agencies using a third-party off-duty management company. For more information, visit
