Thread: TX: Gunfire Exchanged across Rio Grande

March 20, 2007, 2:11PM
Gunfire exchanged across the Rio Grande


DONNA, Texas — Two Border Patrol agents investigating a marijuana load exchanged gunfire Tuesday with unseen assailants from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande.

The agents were unharmed and no one was believed injured on the Mexican side, Customs and Border Protection spokesman Oscar Saldana said. Four bundles of marijuana totaling 305 pounds were found on the river bank.

It was the second time this year agents were fired at near that section of the river, which at that point is less than 150 feet wide.

The agents were approaching the river bank at about 7:30 a.m. after spotting an inflatable raft near the U.S. sider, Saldana said.

"They went in to take a closer look. At that time the agents came under fire," Saldana said. "They immediately took cover and responded by firing as well."

He said the agents were on farm land and were able to duck behind piles of debris that had recently been cleared from the fields.

The raft had more marijuana on it and was apparently pulled back to the Mexican side.

On Jan. 17, agents were fired upon at a location about a half mile away. That could indicate the area across the river is controlled by drug smugglers who are frustrated by increased numbers of Border Patrol agents, Saldana said. The Rio Grande Valley sector has more than 130 Border Patrol agents since June, he said.

"We anticipate more incidents like this one," he said. "The smugglers feel frustrated. They're starting to take more and more drastic measures."

Tuesday's incident was under investigation.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/4646570.html

Four bundles of marijuana totaling 305 pounds were found on the river bank.

Only 305 lbs? That's hardly even worth the trouble. Some state's U.S. Attorneys, like in Arizona won't even prosecute smugglers who bring in less than 500 lbs. These agents are quite lucky Johnny Sutton doesn't charge them with violating the smugglers civil rights. I'm sure the U.S. Attorneys' office is working on tracking these smugglers down in Mexico to give them immunity so they can prosecute these rogue agents for their brutal actions.

Yes, we should be hearing from Johnny any time now. He's been busy the last few days you know, making sure another agent goes to jail that was protecting the United States.

I'm sure the U.S. Attorneys' office is working on tracking these smugglers down in Mexico to give them immunity so they can prosecute these rogue agents for their brutal actions.

You know for sure Sutton is hot on this case. He's probably sizing them up for their jailhouse jumpers right now.

As for the gunfire exchange over the border, whatever happened to "We've got spirit, yes we do, we've got spirit, how 'bout you?!" I'm sure it was just Presidente Phil's new border patrol.

"We anticipate more incidents like this one," he said. "The smugglers feel frustrated. They're starting to take more and more drastic measures."

Poor, poor, smugglers. They are only "doing the job Americans won't do."