The US diplomat was shot by a man wearing a black wig and a blue nurse uniform outside a shopping center's garage on Friday in Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city.
The suspect was arrested in a joint operation by the FBI, DEA and Jalisco state officials in Guadalajara's affluent Providencia neighbourhood early Sunday morning, reports said.
A spokesperson at the Jalisco state prosecutor's office identified the suspect as a naturalised American from India named Zafar Zia, suggesting the shooting may have been related to a dispute over a visa, The Daily Beast reported.
Authorities also seized a Honda Accord with California license plates and a wig that is believed to have been used at the time of the attempted murder.
Zia had moved to Guadalajara in November from Phoenix and had been residing in the city since. The apparent motive for the attempted murder appears to have been a disagreement over an undisclosed visa process, media reports said.
The FBI had offered USD 20,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the shooter.
Hours after Zia's arrest, the attorney general's office and the foreign ministry in a joint statement said he would face justice in the US for the "sordid and cowardly" shooting.
US Secretary of State John Kerry thanked the Mexican government for the swift and decisive arrest of the suspect.
"On behalf of President Obama and the people of the US, I want to thank the Government of Mexico for their swift and decisive arrest of a suspect in the heinous attack against our Foreign Service Officer colleague," Kerry said in a statement.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
