Son of Pearce Shot

NEWS & ANALSYS

Son of Conservative Mesa Legislator, PAN Advisor Shot by Illegal Alien

Mesa Department of Public Service Deputy Sean Pearce is recovering from a gunshot wound delivered Thursday by an illegal alien. He is the son of State Rep. Russell Pearce (R-D18), a senior advisor for the Protect Arizona Now initiative (Prop 200), which passed in November. The Pearce’s are also related to New Mexico congressman Steve Pearce. Mesa Deputy Lew Argetsinger was also shot in the incident, and both are recovering from their wounds.

After the attack, Sean Pearce was flown to Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix for surgery to remove part of his large intestine. Argetsinger was shot in the hand and taken by ambulance to the medical center. Both were reported in stable condition.

On the same day of the attack, Rep. Pearce was in Washington, D.C., serving on a Brookings Institute panel debating the national policy on legal and illegal immigration.

Rep. Pearce had also shot been as a member of the Mesa law enforcement community years earlier, and he had lost part of a finger as a result. He was one of the front persons for Protect Arizona Now, and for much of the past 18 months has led the fight to confront the high cost of the border invasion that plagues Arizona in so many ways.

“I was interrupted and given a message to call (wife) LuAnne in reference to an emergency at home,” Rep. Pearce informed friends and supporters by email on Friday. “I called to find out my son Sean had been shot while executing a search warrant on a home for homicide suspects and was being flown by helicopter to the hospital. I later learned the suspects and the shooter were illegal aliens and had been issued Matricula Consular cards so they could get services in the United States.”

Surgeons removed some of Sean Pearce’s small intestine, but he is expected to make a full recovery and return to work. He is an 11-year veteran of the Mesa police force.

“Sean is dedicated to freedom and the protection of our liberties, our neighborhoods, and I am so proud to state that,” Rep Pearce said. “Sean is a great patriot and makes his family proud. Sean and I were the first father/son team to be awarded the highest medal given in law enforcement -- the Medal of Valor (Russell in the 1980's and Sean in 2002). This award is for exceptional bravery … and what a proud moment for me. Now we share another first. I believe we are the first father and son to have been shot while in the line of duty (in Mesa). I was shot in the chest and lost a finger, while Sean was shot in the stomach and lost some body parts and fortunately will live and be a great asset to this community and continue to raise his two beautiful children.” Sean and Melissa Pearce are also expecting a third child, Rep. Pearce said.

Maricopa County SWAT team members entered a home in assisting Pinal County Sheriff’s officials serve a search warrant against suspect Luis Guerra Vargas, 22. A person inside the premises opened fire and struck the two Mesa police deputies.

Both deputies were wearing ballistic body armor, but Pearce got hit in an unprotected spot. A third Mesa deputy fired on Vargas, wounding him in the face. Vargas was flown to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix with non-life-threatening wounds.

Pinal County Sheriff's detectives sought evidence pertaining to a recent homicide near Queen Valley. A hunter called deputies Dec. 5 after he found a body with a gunshot wound to the head buried under a pile of scrap lumber. Tracks at the scene led authorities to the scene where the shootout with Vargas and others took place.