Group Supervisor Michael G. Garbo

Officer: US DOJ-DEA, Group Supervisor Michael G. Garbo

Date: 10/4/2021          Location: Tucson, AZ            FACTORS (1,2,3,9,15,21)

Perpetrator(s) Involved: Darrion Taylor

Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Taylor was out on $25,500 bail for assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest for attempting to disarm and murder the police officer processing his arrest warrants for robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and cruelty toward a child./ Yes, Taylor and his accomplice Devonte Mathis were illegally transporting marijuana.

Mental Illness: Unknown.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Yes, Taylor had a previous marijuana arrest./Yes, Taylor was illegally transporting distribution quantity of substances containing marijuana.

Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/26                     

What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At around 7:40 a.m. on October 4, 2021, DEA agents conducted a routine narcotics interdiction of two men, Darrion Taylor and Devonte Mathis, whom Amtrak officials identified as possibly being involved in criminal activity. After searching and finding marijuana in the bags they observed Mathis handling, the agents attempted to question Taylor. 

Actions taken by subject toward police: Instead of complying with the agent’s request, Taylor suddenly pulled out a handgun and opened fire on them, fatally striking Group Supervisor Garbo, critically injuring another agent.

Reactions by the police: Agents returned fire, as did a Tucson K9 police officer who ran into the train after hearing the gunfire. Taylor fled to the lower level of the train where he barricaded himself and took his own life with the gun.

How murdered? Group Supervisor Michael Garbo was fatally shot while conducting a narcotics interdiction investigation on an Amtrak train.

What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? In such a confined area and with reasonable suspicion from the Amtrak official’s intelligence, the agents could have handcuffed Taylor and Mathis for their safety as they searched the bags.

Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? The agents were justified to use deadly force once Taylor made the furtive movement that enabled him to access his hidden weapon – however aside from not knowing the suspect’s true intent, such a move happens so quickly it means the agents are reacting and a step behind.

Outcome for the cop-killer: Taylor committed suicide after the shootout; his accomplice is facing charges of intent to distribute marijuana substances.

Miscellaneous: “This is someone who should have not been out on the street and it should cause all of us to wonder what’s happening with the courts, what’s happening with activist DA’s, activist judges and is there an overcrowding issue causing violent criminals to be bonded out.”