Thread: TX: Border agent shoots allegedly unarmed suspect

Border agent shoots allegedly unarmed suspect
Comments 3
October 08, 2010 9:20 AM
The Associated Press

EAGLE PASS — Federal authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Eagle Pass drug suspect, allegedly by a U.S. Border Patrol agent.

Maverick County Sheriff Tomas S. Herrera said Friday deputies found no evidence Juan Mendez of Eagle Pass was armed when he was shot. The agent's identity hasn't been released.

Herrera says the agent stopped a truck Mendez was driving Tuesday and began to question him. Witnesses say a 15-year-old boy fled the truck, and Mendez struggled with the agent, broke free and was shot twice. Herrera says Mendez was taken to Fort Duncan Medical Center in Eagle Pass, where he died. The passenger is in juvenile custody.

Herrera says 325 pounds of marijuana were found in the truck.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection had no comment.

http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/e ... hoots.html

Don't blame the BP for god sake Blame OBAMA and his Best friend MEXICO!

I don't blame him..Its Mexico and their way of life that makes our lawmen live in fear of their lives.
99% of the time they have guns and I for one want our BP to go home safe. Lets see what mexico has to say about this.

I feel bad for the BP agent, and no I don't blame him! We have too many dead agents for them to take any more chances than they have to! If the suspect put up a fight, he may not have had a gun BUT HE WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A DEADLY WEAPON. We already know they have NO qualms about running over an Agent .

Deputy: Border agent kills unarmed drug suspect
Comments 66
October 08, 2010 2:56 PM
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

EAGLE PASS (AP) — A U.S. Border Patrol agent tipped off that a pickup truck was carrying a suspicious payload shot and killed the teenage driver, who was apparently unarmed, after a brief struggle, authorities said Friday.

Juan Mendez, an 18-year-old from Eagle Pass, died at Fort Duncan Medical Center shortly after the Tuesday shooting, Maverick County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ruben Cano said.

Border Patrol sensors showed the truck Mendez was driving was carrying suspicious cargo, Cano said. Witnesses said an agent, whose identity has not been disclosed, stopped the vehicle shortly after 9 a.m. and began to question Mendez, he said.

A 15-year-old boy fled from truck, and Mendez also tried to get away but briefly struggled with the agent, Cano said. Mendez broke free and the agent shot him twice, the chief deputy said. No evidence was found that Mendez was armed, he said.

Investigators found 325 pounds of marijuana in the truck, Cano said.

The 15-year-old was taken into juvenile custody. His name and charges were being withheld because of his age.

Border Patrol agents are allowed to use lethal force under certain circumstances, and investigators from the FBI, the Texas Rangers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection internal affairs department were looking into the incident, Cano said.

The agent was placed on routine administrative leave pending the investigation, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Dennis Smith.

"CBP regrets the loss of life and awaits the results of the investigation into this incident," Smith said.

The incident is the second deadly shooting of an unarmed teen by Border Patrol in four months. A Border Patrol agent in El Paso shot and killed a 15-year-old Mexican boy on June 7. Sergio Adrian Hernandez Huereca was among a group of people in the bed of the Rio Grande who were throwing rocks at the agents.

The agent who shot Hernandez in June was not charged with a crime because lethal force is permitted to deter rock-throwers. However, the Hernandez shooting enraged Mexicans. Authorities there called it a murder and demanded he be extradited to face charges there. The request was denied.

Mendez's body has been sent to Laredo for an autopsy.

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/u ... eagle.html