An analysis of the shirt worn by Pinal County Arizona Sheriff Deputy Louie Puroll on the day he says he was shot by drug smugglers has come back negative for gunpowder, suggesting the shot was not fired from close range, as some experts who had examined photos of Puroll had suggested to a Phoenix New Times reporter. The test lends support to Puroll’s account of the incident, which was questioned by the pathologists and other experts contacted by the New Times. Sheriff Paul Babeu told reporters yesterday that the matter is now closed.Puroll was shot April 30 in a remote part of the Arizona desert. He said he was shot in a gun battle with men he suspected to be drug smugglers. The incident occurred just days after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed the state’s controversial new immigration law, and the case attracted widespread coverage, and was hyped by border security hawks. Babeu — who has risen to national prominence as a voice on border security — reopened the case two weeks ago after the New Times article raised questions about Puroll’s story, including why the shirt he was wearing was never tested for traces of gunpowder.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=120053