Thread: Mourning Death Of Illegal Immigrant: Teen Shot Near Border

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May 21, 2005
Mourning death of illegal immigrant: Teen shot near border

CLAUDINE LoMONACO
Tucson Citizen

Photos by XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson Citizen

Gloria Mitchel Galaviz (second from right) is the aunt of Juan de Jesus Rivera Cota. She is comforted by Sarah Roberts, a member of St. Mark's Presbyterian Church. The coffin is being carried to the church for a funeral service for Rivera, who was shot by a Border Patrol agent last week.

Gloria Mitchel Galaviz is comforted by Sarah Roberts after a church service for Juan de Jesus Rivera Cota.
Mourners gathered at St. Mark's Presbyterian church yesterday to support the family of 16-year-old Juan de Jesus Rivera Cota, who was fatally shot while trying to flee from U.S. Border Patrol agents last week.
The mourners were mostly volunteers from various humanitarian groups that have been trying to prevent migrant deaths in Arizona's desert for the last several years. They organized the ceremony to support Rivera's family and aunt, Gloria Mitchel Galaviz.

Galaviz lives in Los Angeles and had flown in May 14 to be with her nephew. He died at University Medical Center a few hours after she arrived.

"Thank you for being here," Mitchel told the group of 20 or so people. "Having found you, I feel the hand of God at my side."

Rivera would have turned 17 this week, Mitchel said. She said he crossed the border illegally on May 11 to look for work to support his mother in Sonoyta, a little town just south of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

According to Mitchel, Rivera was driving through the Tohono O'odham Nation with five other passengers when he saw dust tracks ahead. Afraid it might be "la migra," or Border Patrol, Rivera turned the truck around and sped back to the border.

Another Border Patrol car pulled out in front of Rivera's truck and partially blocked the road, she said. Rivera hit the vehicle while trying to drive around it. The agent then shot at the truck and injured Rivera, who was transported to the hospital, she said.

Jose Soto, volunteer with No More Death, comforts Gloria Mitchel Galaviz, aunt of Juan de Jesus Rivera Cota. With the Rev. Bob Carney of the Catholic Diocese of Tucson, they are walking behind Rivera's coffin.
Border Patrol spokesman Rob Griffin confirmed that the shooting occurred last week and said that the agent acted in self-defense. The Border Patrol usually reports migrant deaths fairly quickly after they occur. But the Border Patrol remained mum about this case until pressed by reporters late this week.

Griffin said he could not comment further because the case is still under investigation. The Border Patrol would not identify the agent involved and said that he has been working in the field as usual.

The FBI is investigating the incident as an assault on a federal officer, an FBI spokeswoman said.

In the last four years, the Border Patrol has been involved in the deaths of at least six illegal immigrants. In at least two cases, it has paid Mexican families more than $100,000 each for violating the victim's civil rights.

BORDER DEATHS

Other deaths involving the Border Patrol in recent years:

On March 21, a smuggler shot a Border Patrol agent near Casa Grande. The agent returned fire and accidentally killed an illegal immigrant hiding in the trunk of the smuggler's car.

On Feb. 19, a Border Patrol agent shot and killed a drug "mule" who was trying to flee in Santa Cruz County. The agent has been charged with negligent homicide.

On July 7, 2003, a Nogales, Son., man died at a hospital after being beaten. Border Patrol agents brought him to the hospital, but the agency wouldn't comment about the man's death.

On June 5, 2003, a Border Patrol agent fatally shot an Agua Prieta, Son., man who was reportedly throwing rocks.

On March 5, 2001, a Border Patrol agent shot and killed a Mexican man east of Ajo. The agent discharged his gun accidentally once the man had surrendered.

Source: Tucson Citizen archives, Santa Cruz County attorney and attorney Bill Risner.
For more border coverage, go to our web site at: www.tucsoncitizen.com/border.

Crime does not pay!!!!!

Well, that just goes to show you, if he had entered legally, he would not have been shot.

Bet the MMP wouldn't have shot him. They would have captured him.

The Border Patrol have a responsibility to protect our Border. They were doing their jobs admirably.

Thank God for them. And let this send a clear, consise message to illegal aliens that we will not sit on our hands and let them continue to enter our great Country illegally anymore.

NO means NO!

Get out and stay out -- or come here LEGALLY! If he had relatives here, they surely were sending money home to feed his relatives.

Who are they trying to kid? It certainly is not us!