Firefight Breaks out Across the Border from Rincon

Posted: Jul 21, 2014 7:21 PM

PHARR - A Pharr resident said he heard a firefight happening on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande south of Granjeno.
Lorenzo Anzaldua was on his family's property Thursday providing interviews for national media when the firefight broke out.
Anzaldua, a former soldier, said heavy weapons were used during the clash.

"It was pretty long, as far (as a) battle is concerned," Anzaldua said.

"I didn't hear small-gun fire returned. I just heard that Ma Deuce (.50 BMG)," he said.

Anzaldua said he is used to seeing illegal immigrants crossing through the Rincon area south of Granjeno. He also has grown accustomed to the sounds of gunfire and grenade explosions coming from the Mexican side of the river. He said Thursday's battle was different.

He said a trained operator was firing the .50-caliber heavy machine gun.

"The shooter was clearly a disciplined shooter. He was shooting five to seven rounds, break, shoot again ... instead of that rock-n-roll like they show in the Hollywood movies. It was not a continuous rate of fire," Anzaldua said.

"Whoever he was aiming at or whoever she was aiming at was, the target was in bad shape, because that guy knew what he was doing," Anzaldua said.

Anzaldua says the clash lasted for about 10 minutes.

Anzaldua said he is familiar with the .50 BMG because he used it during his service in the military.

"You cannot shoot a sustained rate of fire, because you'll heat up the barrel," he said. "If the barrel gets hot, it's going jam."

Anzaldua said he doesn't know if any of the bullets made it to the U.S. side where he and members of the national media were hanging around.

"I never felt I was in danger," he said.

Anzaldua said the sounds of firefights, grenades or the illegal crossings aren't going to stop him from visiting his property.

Anzaldua thinks person behind the machine gun was a Mexican soldier.

http://www.krgv.com/news/firefight-b...r-from-rincon/