Thread: Border Patrol agent shoots at armed militia member in Texas

Border Patrol agent shoots at armed militia member in Texas


In this photo taken Aug. 9, 2014, the main canal supplying water to the city of Mission, Texas, is shown. At this spot on the night of Aug. 6, 2014, Border Patrol agents arresting immigrants mistook 7 armed militia members for state troopers.

The Associated Press
Published: August 29, 2014

RELATED

• Texas Guard troops reportedly haven't been paid, are using food banks
• Armed private militias complicate tense situation on Texas border
• Militias patrolling Texas border draw scrutiny, concern

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — The Border Patrol says an agent shot at someone near the Texas-Mexico border who later identified himself as a militia member.

Border Patrol spokesman Omar Zamora said that agents pursuing a group of immigrants east of Brownsville on Friday came upon a man holding a long arm near the river. An agent fired multiple shots but did not hit the armed man. The man then identified himself as a member of a militia.

An unknown number of militia members have come to the Texas border after a surge in illegal immigration.

Zamora said no other details were immediately available.

This month, the Border Patrol warned its agents about militia members after seven of them were initially mistaken for a Texas Department of Public Safety tactical team near Mission.

http://www.stripes.com/news/us/borde...texas-1.300739

Records: Armed Militia Member a Felon

Posted: Sep 3, 2014 6:47 PM
Updated: Sep 4, 2014 7:41 AM

BROWNSVILLE - A militia member who came under Border Patrol gunfire Friday is a felon.

The man, John Frederick Forester, is part of a group camped out on private land near the river.

Officials said Forester was armed when a Border Patrol agent opened fire on him. The militia member was not injured.

Records show Forester has two misdemeanor convictions for theft and trespassing and felony convictions for burglary of a building. He served prison time.

State law states a felon can't use guns after a conviction and before the fifth anniversary of his or her release from prison. Federal law, though, prohibits felons from ever possessing firearms.

Records show Forester followed state laws, but is in violation of federal statutes.

Cameron County sheriff officials said the FBI is handling the investigation.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS visited the group's camp Wednesday to find out if they do background checks on members. Forester refused to speak with the news crew.

The group's commander said they only check to see if applicants are on probation or parole.

The commander said the group is contemplating suing the federal government and the Cameron County Sheriff's Department over the shots-fired incident.

The group's leader said the agent opened fire before identifying who they were. He said the sheriff's department is mishandling the investigation.

Forester told CHANNEL 5 NEWS in a previous interview that he is from Brownsville.

"I'm still going to be out there. I'm still going to be vigilant. I might be a little louder towards the agents so that they know that I'm there. I might even put a red strobe light on my forehead so that they can see. I'm not leaving," he said after the shots-fired incident.

http://www.krgv.com/news/records-arm...ember-a-felon/