Rodolfo Ballardo and Marcos Ruiz-Zazueta, 43, were stopped for a suspended license plate. During the traffic stop, the driver was asked to exit the vehicle. While the trooper was speaking to the driver, the passenger fired a shot at the trooper, and the trooper fired back. Both Ballardo and Ruiz-Zazueta fled in the vehicle, prompting a pursuit. Ballardo then exited the vehicle and fled on foot until he hijacked a big rig from a sleeping truck driver. DPS pursued the big rig, and in an exchange of gunfire between Ballardo and troopers, he was shot and killed.
Victim's Name: Rodolfo Ballardo
Agency Responsible: Arizona Department of Public Safety
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Race: Hispanic
Date of Death: September 13, 2017
County: La Paz
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: No
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: gun
Threat Level: attack
Fleeing: Car
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 2948
Geography: Rural