Another illegal shot by Border Agent

[Guns and more]

I fear this agent may find he is not supported by his superiors either.

SAN YSIDRO – A group suspected of trying to illegally enter the United States threw rocks at Border Patrol agents Tuesday night, who later responded by shooting at the crowd, striking one man in the torso, according to authorities.

Agents were patrolling the area at Virginia Avenue near the U.S.–Mexico border in San Ysidro – just east of a nearby outlet mall – about 10 p.m. when they were attacked by a group throwing large rocks at them from the south side of the fence, said Supervisory Border Patrol agent Daryl Reed.

The agents fired pepper balls and other chemical agents at the group in an attempt to disperse them before the agent fired his gun, Reed said.
The crowd then ran away.

A 23-year-old man was hit in the chest and was treated at a hospital in Tijuana, said San Diego police homicide Lt. Terry McManus said. His condition is not known.

Tijuana authorities identified the man as Edgar Israel Ortega Chávez, who was wounded on the right side of the lower back, just above the waist, by a large-caliber round.

He was admitted into Tijuana's General Hospital and is in stable condition, according to medical reports.

Investigators with the state General Attorney's office said they found two .223 caliber rounds and two tear gas canisters at the site where the victim was shot.

According to Tijuana police, officers received a report that some 10 individuals were attacking Border Patrol agents at approximately 10 p.m. Tuesday night.

When the officers arrived, they found Ortega Chávez lying face down. He had been shot once.

The border fence in that area is located in the United States and does not run directly on top of the border between the two countries, Reed said. Authorities are still trying to determine in which country the man was standing in when he was shot.

McManus said the unidentified agent, who has been with the Border Patrol for ten years, feared for his life and the safety of other agents when he fired his gun. No Border Patrol agents were injured during the incident.

Throwing objects at agents is a common practice, said Reed, who described the projectiles as chunks of jagged concrete about as big as softballs.

“Anyone hit with a rock that size can receive serious bodily injury,” Reed said.

So far this year, there have been 330 assaults on agents, compared to 254 reported incidents in all of 2007, the agent said.

 

[highorder]

The border fence in that area is located in the United States and does not run directly on top of the border between the two countries, Reed said. Authorities are still trying to determine in which country the man was standing in when he was shot.

Awfully nice of us to give even a little of that real estate back. Why not build the fence ON the border?

Did we sign an easement with Mexico?

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

You don't build the fence ON the border because you would have no control over the other side.

Illegals (who aren't illegal yet) could camp out there with welding and other fence destroying equipment and there would be NOTHING you could do about it.

Military bases have adopted this policy for decades. The fence on a military base is about 10-20feet inside the property line. By the time you touch a military base fence you are already trespassing on a federal installation.

My understanding is the fence is 100m-500m inside the US/Mexico border to give agents time to respond. So unless this guy is a pistol sniper and shot the man more than 100m from the fence line I don't understand how they can be "investigating" which country he was shot in.

 

[Destructo6]

You'd probably need some sort of access to the south side if you built it right on the line.

 

[ZeSpectre]

Throwing objects at agents is a common practice, said Reed, who described the projectiles as chunks of jagged concrete about as big as softballs.

So a national from another country comes on to American soil and attacks. Isn't this how war is declared?

 

[Biker]

I've seen what large rocks can do to a man. The BP agent performed the indicated response.

Biker

 

[XDKingslayer]

Authorities are still trying to determine in which country the man was standing in when he was shot.

In other words, "We're trying to find a way to put this man in prison with his other buddies from last year..."

 

[dogmush]

While admitedly news stories often get things wrong,

Edgar Israel Ortega Chávez, who was wounded on the right side of the lower back, just above the waist, by a large-caliber round

and

state General Attorney's office said they found two .223 caliber rounds

don't seem to go together.

And yeah, throwing softball sized chunks of concrete at is pretty much trying to injure someone. Hope all goes well for the agent.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

So a national from another country comes on to American soil and attacks. Isn't this how war is declared?

So if I got drunk in Tijuana and punched a cop, it would be a declaration of war? Should Mexico start shelling Chula Vista in retaliation?

 

[elChupacabra!]

Well when they say they found two .223 "rounds" at the site, I assume they meant pieces of brass, which begs the question - is .223 finally now being recognized as "large caliber"?

 

[Water-Man]

If they're on U.S. property they deserve to be shot.

 

[jackstinson]

So if I got drunk in Tijuana and punched a cop, it would be a declaration of war?

No, you'd just spend the next few years cuddling with a big guy named Hernando in a cell.

 

[RichardInFlorida]

So a national from another country comes on to American soil and attacks. Isn't this how war is declared?

I guess not: US Border Patrol Agent Held at Gunpoint by Mexican Military

Read through the article and see there have been more than 200 armed, military incursions by Mexico into the US. Law enforcement has been fired on by .50 caliber machine guns.

Maybe our guys need tanks?

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

No, you'd just spend the next few years cuddling with a big guy named Hernando in a cell.

I will affectionately call him "Gordo" and he will call me "Mi Bonita". We will long for the days when the animosity between our two countries is over and our love can be accepted. Hopefully, after our time has be served, we can open a chain of taco and tamale stands from Guadalajara to Vancouver, sharing our passion for both tasty corn-encased foods and the lovely Pacific Coast. It is a big dream, my friends, but together, Mi Bonita Taqueria will be serving you the best in authentic Mexican food with an ocean view.

Wait, how is this thread related to guns again?

 

[Justin]

And on that note...