An Arizona man accused of fatally shooting his dentist in Mexico following a disagreement over dental treatment has been killed in a shootout with authorities attempting to arrest him.
Ernesto Rascón, 30, of Prescott, Arizona, died Saturday, October 17, when Mexican law enforcement officers confronted him at a residence in Agua Prieta, a border town across from Douglas, Arizona.
The confrontation came just two days after the killing of Dr. Amed de Jesús Preciado Hernández, 42, an oral surgeon who was shot outside his dental office in Nogales, Mexico.
According to the Sonora State Attorney General’s Office, the dispute began Thursday, October 15, when Rascón visited the dentist’s office to complain about a previous procedure.
Investigators said Rascón had received several treatments at the practice and was upset because he believed one of his teeth had been left loose.
He reportedly arrived in an agitated state and demanded to see Preciado immediately, despite not having an appointment.
When the dentist was unable to accommodate his request, Rascón allegedly became increasingly angry before leaving the office.
But authorities believe he did not leave the property.
Instead, investigators allege Rascón waited in the parking lot until Preciado finished working and approached his white pickup truck.
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators reportedly shows the suspect approaching the dentist’s vehicle and opening fire as Preciado was getting inside.
The 42-year-old dentist suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting shocked the local community, where Preciado was known for his work as a dental professional.
Mexican authorities immediately opened a homicide investigation, collecting surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses to identify the person responsible.
Investigators soon identified Rascón, an American citizen with a reported criminal history in the United States, as their primary suspect.
According to officials, Rascón had previous encounters with law enforcement involving drug-related offenses and driving under the influence.
The investigation led authorities to a residence in the Ejidal 2 neighborhood of Agua Prieta, approximately 70 miles east of Nogales.
On Saturday, October 17, agents from Mexico’s Criminal Investigation Ministerial Agency, known as AMIC, arrived at the property with municipal and state police officers to execute an arrest warrant.
However, the operation quickly escalated into a deadly confrontation.
According to the Sonora prosecutor’s office, Rascón opened fire on the officers as they approached the residence, prompting law enforcement personnel to return fire.
Two officers were injured during the exchange.
One AMIC investigator sustained a minor injury to the head, while a municipal police officer suffered an injury to his left leg.
Both officers received medical treatment and were subsequently released from the hospital.
Rascón was also wounded during the confrontation. Authorities said officers provided emergency medical assistance, but he died at the scene.
Investigators recovered evidence from the property as part of the continuing examination of the shooting.
The Sonora State Attorney General’s Office said the operation involved coordinated efforts among investigative agents, municipal police and state security personnel.
Because Rascón was a United States citizen, Mexican officials have also been communicating with American consular authorities regarding his death and the investigation.
The case has attracted attention on both sides of the border, particularly because the alleged motive involved an apparently ordinary disagreement over dental treatment.
Officials have emphasized that the circumstances surrounding the dentist’s killing were established through witness statements, surveillance footage and evidence gathered during the criminal investigation.
However, because Rascón died before he could be brought to trial, the allegations against him will not be tested in a criminal prosecution.
The fatal confrontation also raises questions about the dangers law enforcement officers face when attempting to apprehend suspects wanted in violent crimes.
Authorities are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the exchange of gunfire as part of the investigation.
For Preciado’s family and colleagues, the tragedy represents the loss of a 42-year-old medical professional whose life ended following what investigators describe as a dispute with a dissatisfied patient.
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