Report: 3 In Custody In Connection To Border Agent's Death
Posted on Saturday, July 25 @ 14:53:25 EDT
Topic: Border Patrol American US Security
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 Report: 3 In Custody In Connection To Border Agent's Death
Trio Located At San Jose Hospital
POSTED: 6:51 am PDT July 24, 2009
UPDATED: 6:45 pm PDT July 24, 2009
CAMPO, Calif. -- Three people were taken into custody Friday afternoon in San Jose in connection to the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent on Thursday in Campo, according to KPIX-TV in San Francisco.
According to KPIX's report, two men and a woman at a O'Connor Hospital in San Jose were taken into custody by agents of the Department of Homeland Security.
Authorities said they traced the cell phone of one of the trio, but their connection to the Campo shooting has not been disclosed.
SUBJECTS: Illegal Immigration, Illegal Immigrants, border patrol agent, murder, Department of Homeland Security, Robert Rosas Jr.,illegal immigrants or drug smugglers,
Border Patrol agent Robert Rosas Jr. of El Centro, a three-year member of the federal agency, was working with other agents to track suspected illegal immigrants or drug smugglers when the group being followed dispersed. The agents followed and began a chase. One agent was separated from the group and gunshots were heard, Border Patrol agent Daryl Reed said.
A short time later, Rosas was found lying gravely injured on the ground, Reed said.
He was apparently shot in the head and multiple other times in his body, authorities said.
Four engines, paramedics and a medical helicopter were dispatched to the area, but Rosas was declared dead at the scene, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Nick Schuler said.
The county medical examiner arrived on scene at 3:30 a.m. to retrieve the body of the slain agent, 10News photojournalist Rett Lawrence reported.
At a briefing Friday afternoon, federal officials pledged to capture Rosas' killers and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the assailants.
"We're going to do everything within our (power) to bring these people to justice," said Rick Barlow, acting chief Border Patrol agent in the San Diego area.
Keith Slotter, special agent in charge of the FBI's local office, told reporters it was unclear how many guilty parties there were in the slaying.
Slotter also said he could not say if Rosas was able to return fire, though he said blood evidence at the scene suggested that at least one of the killers might have been wounded in some way.
Authorities said they could not confirm or deny rumors that a suspect in the slaying had been taken into custody in the Tecate area.
"This act of violence will not stand -- nor will any act of violence against the Border Patrol. I have directed that the full resources of the Department assist in the investigation to find and bring to justice those responsible for this inexcusable crime," said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
In a statement, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, said the "thoughts and prayers of our entire region are with the family and friends of this fallen agent."
"Every day, our nation's border patrol agents stand on the frontlines of the effort to keep our country and communities safe," Issa said. "They knowingly put their well-being in harm's way and in some cases make the ultimate sacrifice.
"What happened last night was a tragedy and a painful acknowledgement that at any time, our border patrol agents may be put into an extraordinary circumstance," he said.
Slotter said U.S. authorities were closely working with Mexican authorities and checking with hospitals and clinics on both sides of the international line to determine if anybody wounded in the fatal attack has sought medical aid.
Barlow said the ranks of the Border Patrol were mourning the murder of Rosas, the father of a 2-year-old son and 11-month-old daughter.
"Everybody's sad," Barlow said. "Everybody's disgusted ... They understand we're going to do everything we can to bring these criminals to justice."
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