US Border Patrol says it's winning battle for control of international boundary

Posted: July 28, 2009 06:33 PM CDT

Updated: July 29, 2009 09:44 PM CDT





By Jim Becker

Tucson, AZ (KOLD) - When Border Patrol Agent Nick Corbett claimed he shot a Mexican national who threatened him with a rock two years ago, jurors at his two murder trials could not make up their minds if he was telling the truth.

On both occasions, the judge declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision.

Even though the Cochise County Attorney does not go along with Corbett's claim, Corbett's story counts among the statistics of rock throwing incidents, as far as the border patrol is concerned.

Surveillance video shows numerous examples of border crossers threatening agents with rocks and at times hurling stones over the border fence at vehicles.

"Smugglers are becoming frustrated," explains Michael Scioli, Public Affairs for US Customs and Border Protection. "As our agents are standing on the line and posing that deterrent effect to these smugglers, they're becoming frustrated, and this is their chance, assaulting back with us, and that's throwing rocks at us."

Video from various locations along the US border with Mexico also show people at the border threatening agents with guns, even ramming vehicles.

Among the less-than-lethal tools agents now have at their disposal is the pepper-ball launcher.

The device launches a projectile, about the size of a paintball, and upon hitting its target, emits a powder mixture, causing the eyes and nose to water.

Scioli says the device is designed to slow down an assailant and keep distance between agents and rock-throwers.

http://www.kold.com/global/story.asp?s=10807086