Suspect in U.S. Consulate Shooting Is American, Mexican Officials Say


  • By DEAN SCHABNER

Jan 8, 2017, 6:57 PM ET
.S. Consulate General Guadal
The man suspected of shooting a U.S. consulate officer outside the consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico, has been captured and is from the United States, Mexican officials said.

The man was captured by the special forces of the state of Jalisco, and handed over to federal prosecutors, according to a tweet from the state of Jalisco.

The Mexican attorney general's office and Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement this evening that "an individual from the United States, allegedly involved in this incident was located and detained. The same individual will be expelled and repatriated to the United States of America where his legal status will be determined."

The officer, identified by Mexican prosecutors as Christopher Ashcraft, was shot in his car on Friday as he was leaving the consulate. He was listed in stable condition.

Surveillance video of the attack shows the shooter following the official in a parking garage. A second video shows the attacker waiting until the victim arrives at the exit to the garage, then fires a round through the car's windshield and immediately runs away.

A Mexican official has called the shooting a "direct attack," but authorities have said they do not know the motive. The State Department said it is working closely with Mexico on the case.
Secretary of State John Kerry thanked Mexico for the quick work making an arrest in the shooting.

"On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, 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 in Guadalajara, Mexico," he said. "My thoughts and prayers remain with this officer and his family during this difficult time. I wish him a speedy recovery."

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