University of Arizona murder suspect held without bail

TUCSON, AZ (AZFamily) — The suspect accused of shooting and killing a community college student on the University of Arizona campus earlier this week is being held without bail, authorities confirmed Thursday.

The suspect, Ryan Romero-Encinas, is charged with murder in the shooting death of Minhaj Jamshidi, 19, on the university campus Sunday evening.

Ryan Romero-Encinas (left) is accused of shooting and killing 19-year-old Minhaj Jamshidi... — Ryan Romero-Encinas (left) is accused of shooting and killing Minhaj Jamshidi (right), 19, on the university campus Sunday evening.(KOLD News 13)

The shooting happened around 11 p.m. at the sand volleyball courts across from the Arizona-Sonora Hall dormitory. Authorities say several small fights between a group led Romero-Encinas to shoot Jamshidi, a Pima Community College student, on the volleyball courts.

The chief of the Tucson Police Department called the shooting a “senseless act of violence” that has impacted the Tucson community.

“Why is there a gun at a volleyball game with young men in their 20s or younger?” Let’s ask ourselves this question. If we want to begin to address the root causes of violence in this community and ask why young men continue to hold guns where they shouldn’t,” said Tucson Police Chief Chad Kaczmar .

Arizona sister station 13 News obtained video of the fight that led to the fatal shooting.

Witnesses carried Jamshidi to a nearby vehicle and waited for emergency crews to arrive, but he died at the scene.

After a public bulletin was issued identifying Romero-Encinas as the suspected shooter, University of Arizona Police Chief Chris Olson said he returned to his apartment to surrender. He was arrested Wednesday afternoon at the complex near First Avenue and Wetmore Road. .

Olson says Romero-Encinas was known as someone who played on the courts regularly, but no one knew his name.

Romero-Encinas is currently being held in the Pima County Jail.

Watch the full press conference

“Our world has changed in post-COVID environments where tempers are shorter and more young men are producing guns in what was once a verbal argument or what was once a good old fist fight Fisticuffs are now turning into gun violence, and that is unacceptable,” Kaczmar said.

A prayer service and burial were held for Jamshidi on Wednesday evening. A community member said he and his family left Afghanistan in 2021 to seek peace in the United States.

University officials provided counseling and psychological services to students following the deadly shooting.

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