Police respond to yet another attack at Ronstadt Center in downtown Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – For at least the 20th time in little more than a year, police in Tucson responded to a violent attack connected to public transportation.

The Tucson Police Department confirmed officers were called to the Ronstadt Center in downtown Tucson on Tuesday, June 16, at approximately 1:50 p.m.

The TPD said an officer working off duty at the RTC was flagged down by the victim.

The TPD said the suspect fled the scene and has not been found yet.

The victim was transported to the hospital, and the severity of their injuries is unknown.

Violent crime and open drug use connected to public transportation have been a problem in Tucson for years, and there is a growing number in the community demanding change.

Since April 1, 2025, 13 News has reported on 19 other incidents connected to Sun Tran. That includes one man who was killed in front of his wife and several other victims who were left with life-changing injuries from brutal attacks. Most of the incidents involve a knife or hatchet.

In 2020, the city of Tucson suspended transit fares due to the pandemic, and many have pointed to the free fares as a reason for an increase in violence. One common complaint is that the lack of fares attracts open drug use and violent members of the homeless community.

In the past, Mayor Regina Romero and councilmembers Lane Santa Cruz, Kevin Dahl, and Miranda Schubert have been against bringing back fares. Only councilmembers Paul Cunningham, Nikki Lee, and Selina Barajas have shown any willingness to start charging riders again.

13 News has talked to several members of the community, as well as bus drivers, and most said they do not feel safe anymore and would like to see fares return.

In fact, Sun Tran bus drivers recently overwhelmingly approved strike authorization.

The union’s current contract with Sun Tran expires on June 30, and safety is part of the discussion for a new deal. If the sides do not come to an agreement, the group could strike July 1, and that could bring public transit to a grinding halt.

The last strike happened in 2015 and lasted for 42 days, and one of the biggest sticking points in that stoppage was also driver safety.

VIOLENT INCIDENTS CONNECTED TO SUN TRAN

On April 5, 2025, 25-year-old Daniel Michael Jr. attacked a man and a woman with a hatchet at a Sun Link streetcar stop in downtown Tucson. Jacob Couch died from his injuries, and Michael was charged with murder.
On May 12, 2025, 42-year-old Frank Rick Lopez allegedly attacked two people with a hatchet at a Sun Tran bus stop near Sabino Canyon and Tanque Verde Roads.
On July 9, 2025, a 15-year-old was arrested after a 19-year-old woman was injured during a knife fight on a bus at the Ronstadt Center in Tucson.
On July 25, 2025, a man was injured when a woman attacked him with a knife at the Laos Transit Center.
On Aug. 11, 2025, a man was injured in a stabbing at the Ronstadt Center in downtown Tucson.
On Aug. 12, 2025,a man was injured in a fight and stabbing at the Laos Transit Center in Tucson.
On Aug. 19, 2025, a man was injured in a fight and stabbing at the Tohono Tadai Transit Center near the Tucson Mall.
On Sept. 9, 2025, Sun Tran driver Jose Rodriguez was injured in an assault at Udall Park in Tucson.
On Oct. 6, 2025, an elderly man was injured in an assault at a Sun Tran bus stop near Pantano and Stella in Tucson.
On Oct. 14, 2025, a man was arrested after allegedly firing a gun on a Sun Tran bus near Irvington and 13th Avenue in Tucson.
On Nov. 30, 2025, a man was arrested on an attempted murder charge following a violent attack at the Laos Transit Center in Tucson.
On Dec. 24, 2025, a man was arrested after being accused of stabbing someone on a Sun Tran bus at least 12 times.
On Jan. 26, 2026, a man was injured in an assault at a bus stop at Broadway and Kolb in Tucson.
On Feb. 10, 2026, a man was stabbed during an aggravated assault at the Ronstadt Transit Center.
On Feb. 24, 2026, authorities responded to a fight at the Sun Tran bus stop at South 6th Avenue and West 44th Street.
On Feb. 27, 2026, an armed man was arrested after a fight on a Sun Tran bus near Main and Speedway in Tucson.
On March 4, 2026, a man was arrested after stabbing another man at the Tohono Tadai Transit Center near the Tucson Mall.
On April 3, 2026, a person was injured in a stabbing at the Ronstadt Center in downtown Tucson.
On June 4, 2026, one man was arrested, and another was injured in a fight on a Sun Tran bus in downtown Tucson.
On June 16, 2026, police responded to a reported attack at the Ronstadt Center in downtown Tucson.

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Police respond to yet another attack at Ronstadt Center in downtown Tucson

VIOLENT INCIDENTS CONNECTED TO SUN TRAN

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