2 illegal immigrants fatally shot in Arizona

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ELROY, Ariz., April 12 (UPI) -- Authorities in Arizona said they were investigating the fatal shootings of two illegal immigrants by gunmen wearing camouflage clothing.

The shootings occurred Sunday in an area northwest of Tucson known for smuggling of immigrants, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Authorities identified one of the victims as Gerardo Perez-Ruiz, 39, of Toluca, Mexico, and the second victim was believed to be from Guatemala.

The gunmen, with rifles, ambushed 20 to 30 immigrants who had been riding in the bed of a Chevy truck near the town of Elroy, Pima County Sheriff's Deputy Dawn Barkman said.

Family members pulled Perez-Ruiz from the truck bed and attempted to revive him. The other man died in the truck.

Barkman said most of the illegal immigrants fled but five were found hiding in the desert and described the gunmen to the Pima County Sheriff's Border Crimes Unit.

"We're looking at the motives and who the suspects could have been," Barkman said. "We're not going to speculate on any reasons for this crime at this time."

She said the incident recalled two Arizona attacks in 2007 in which five illegal immigrants were killed. The attacks led to formation of the Border Crimes Unit, Barkman said.