In 2021, Tucson Police Officer Ryan Remington was fired and charged with manslaughter after shooting 61-year-old Richard Lee Richards nine times. The incident began when Remington, working a security detail at Walmart, confronted Richards for allegedly shoplifting a toolbox.
Richards, who used a motorized wheelchair, brandished a knife and refused to stop as he moved toward a neighboring Lowe's entrance. Remington opened fire as Richards reached the store threshold, striking him primarily in the back.
Despite the Tucson Police Chief labeling the use of force a "clear violation" of department policy, Remington’s criminal case saw a dramatic shift in the following years. In January 2025, a third grand jury declined to indict him, leading the Pima County Attorney’s Office to officially drop all criminal charges.
While he remains terminated from the force and faces an ongoing federal civil lawsuit from the Richards family, Remington has avoided criminal conviction and is currently fighting for his reinstatement through the civil service commission.