U.S. agents shot at threatening driver at port of entry; Mexican police find his vehicle

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Police in Juarez, Mexico, say they have seized the vehicle of the driver who drove past a border checkpoint and was fired at by U.S. federal officers last week at the Bridge of the Americas port of entry.

Juarez police said in a statement they found the abandoned Chevrolet Suburban near the intersection of Zempoala and Calzada del Parque streets less than a mile south-southwest of the port of entry. The statement also said Juarez police are collaborating (sharing information) with U.S. authorities.

Late Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were conducting southbound lane inspections at the port of entry. They attempted to inspect a vehicle at 5:11 p.m. when the driver allegedly made an abrupt movement; that’s when officers felt threatened and fired at the driver, who sped away towards Mexico, CBP said in a statement.

“While attempting to inspect a vehicle, a driver made an abrupt movement, at which point the officers perceived a threat to themselves and fired at the driver who fled from the inspection area at a high rate of speed and crossed into Mexico,” the statement said. 

The agency doesn’t know of the driver or any occupants were injured. Two CBP officers discharged their weapons during the incident. The shooting is under review by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility. The findings later will be presented to CBP’s National Use of Force Review Board.

The El Paso Sector has recorded 34 incidents involving use of force by agents so far this fiscal year, though not necessarily firearm discharges. Seventy-eight such incidents were reported by CBP in all of fiscal year 2021.

On the other hand, several agents and officers have been victims of assaults in the El Paso Sector so far this year and dozens were victimized in the previous full fiscal year.