Mike Garbo Biography – Wiki
Mike Garbo was identified by fellow law enforcement officials as the federal DEA agent who was shot and killed in the Tucson Amtrak shooting in Arizona. He was remembered as a former Nashville, Tennessee police officer with years of experience fighting violent crime.
Melvin Brown, who is from Nashville, gave a short biography of Garbo on Facebook.
“He was in Session 25 of the MNPD in 1993 and SWAT Basic & Advanced in 1996. An original member of the first FLEX team (SATURATION PATROL) was first deployed on 10/31/95 in the Lutie Street area in response to gang activity in Laos. ” Brown wrote about Garbo.
“He started jujutsu training before UFC 1 and was one of my favorite weekly sparring partners for many years. He was a member of the Metro SWAT Team who met and neutralized a bank robber in a shooting that killed a police dog in 1998 and received the MNPD Distinguished Service Medal and the NAPO Top Cops Award in Washington DC. He and his other teammates joined the DEA. He was a father. He was our friend and colleague and we will never forget him. 🇺🇸👊. ”
One man wrote on Brown’s thread: “That 1998 bank robbery shooting with you and Melvin Brown was something for the books that will never be written. I used to humorously argue with him that he was a living and breathing hero. Of course, he told me to get out. ”
Age
Mike Garbo’s age is unknown.
A Tribute to DEA Agent Killed in Tucson Amtrak Shooting
According to KOLD.com, Garbo was identified in tributes by multiple law enforcement colleagues. Authorities have yet to name the agent, who was killed on October 4, 2021. He was later identified by the DEA.
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram described Garbo as “universally loved and respected for his leadership.”
“The DEA is deeply saddened to report that the DEA group’s supervisor, Michael G. Garbo, died as a result of injuries sustained during the shooting,” she said in a statement, according to AZ Central. “Group Supervisor Garbo joined the DEA in 2005 and served honorably for more than 16 years as a Special Agent and Group Supervisor fighting criminal drug traffickers from the Nogales corridor to Kabul, Afghanistan.” On LinkedIn, he said that he was a special agent for the DEA for 16 years.
“Great officer and man,” wrote a friend who knew Garbo on Facebook. “He was a great guy. Always so nice. I’ll be praying for his family and friends of his,” wrote another who knew him.
In addition to Garbo’s death, another DEA agent and a Tucson police officer were injured in a shooting at the Amtrak train station in downtown Tucson, police said.
“Yesterday’s horrific shooting shocked the Tucson community and law enforcement family throughout Arizona. We mourn the loss of a heroic DEA agent and ask that you keep his family, friends, and fellow officers in your hearts and prayers, ”Tucson police said in a statement.
“We thank our partners at Banner University Medical Center, who are treating the injured DEA agent and TPD officer, and the Tucson community for their support. We are grateful and proud of our officers, who ran towards the sound of gunfire. ”
Garbo’s Death Was Describes as a ‘Huge Loss
Another tragedy for law enforcement. Everyday the brave warriors hit the streets to keep us all safe. Yesterday, @DEAPHOENIXDiv suffered a huge loss when GS Mike Garbo, SA Fox and a Task Force Officer from Tucson PD were shot. Sadly GS Garbo died from the attack.
RIP 🇺🇸🙏🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/FSpRnFldTu— Derek Maltz Sr (@derekmaltz_sr) October 5, 2021
Derek Maltz Sr. was one of those who paid tribute to Garbo on Twitter. Maltz described himself as “Former director of the Special Operations Division. 28 years in federal law in. Executive of public security and national security “.
“Another tragedy for the forces of order. Every day, brave warriors take to the streets to keep us all safe. Yesterday @DEAPHOENIXDiv suffered a great loss when GS Mike Garbo, SA Fox, and a Tucson PD task force officer were killed. Unfortunately, GS Garbo died from the attack.
RIP 🇺🇸🙏 ”, he wrote.
Here is the criminal complaint where one of the suspects in yesterday’s shooting is named. It details what officials say happened before DEA agent Mike Garbo was killed. pic.twitter.com/JnLwhS9qUQ
— Mary Coleman KOLD (@Mary_reports) October 5, 2021
According to Tucson police, the shooting occurred during an investigation by the Counter Narcotics Alliance that was doing a routine check for items such as drugs and weapons on the train. The suspect, a Hispanic male in his 20s and 30s, opened fire when contacted by CNA and later died.
Mayor Regina Romero wrote in a statement: “The shooting that took place this morning at our train station in the center of the city was an absolutely shocking act of violence. I am ordering flags at all city facilities for half the staff to honor the courageous actions of the deceased and the injured. ”
Tucson police officer K9 runs into Amtrak train during active shooting in which a #DEA special agent was killed. #tucsonshooting #dea pic.twitter.com/GUKSNyamtK
— Darkhorse_lionheart (@Drkhrslionheart) October 4, 2021
The DEA tweeted: “This morning, 2 DEA special agents and a DEA task force officer from @Tucson_Police were shot during an operation in Tucson, AZ. A special agent died as a result of the shooting. A second special agent is in critical condition. The DEA task force officer is in stable condition. ”
Steve Antle, a retired police officer, described Garbo as a “good friend, a very nice guy, and an excellent police officer.”
“I just heard that the DEA agent killed in Tucson, AZ today was a former Metro police officer that I worked with for years. Mike Garbo was a good friend, a very nice guy, and an excellent police officer, ”he wrote.
“During his training with the MNPD, he was a natural in law enforcement… he joined the Metro Nashville Police a couple of years after me. Several years ago he moved from Metro to join the DEA as an Agent. His career was on a fast track and he was an exceptional Agent. The loss of him is not just for the MNPD and DEA family, but for our nation … he died protecting us from the flow of illegal drugs entering the United States. In my book, he is a hero. The loss of him is a shock to me and our entire MNPD family, both current and retired. May he rest in peace. ”
