US border shooting - inquiry demanded
Source: Agencies |
June 10, 2010, Thursday
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MEXICO demanded an investigation on Tuesday into the apparent shooting death of a teenager by a United States border patrol agent, an incident bound to stoke cross-border tensions over illegal immigration.
Witnesses said they saw the unidentified agent shoot at Sergio Hernandez, aged around 14, on Monday under the bridge crossing between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, a violent city on the frontlines of Mexico's war against drug cartels.
A bystander said Hernandez was hanging around with friends when he was shot.
"We energetically condemn the death of a minor ... near the international border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, when a border patrol official shot at a group of migrants who were apparently throwing rocks," the Mexican foreign ministry said. "Using firearms to respond to an attack with rocks is a disproportionate use of force, particularly coming from officials that are specially trained."
But the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is leading a multi-agency investigation into the incident, said the agent shot during a confrontation with "suspected illegal aliens" trying to enter the US.
It said two suspects were arrested and the remainder retreated into Mexico, throwing rocks at the US agents.
"(The) agent ... gave verbal commands to the remaining subjects to stop and retreat. However, the subjects surrounded the agent and continued to throw rocks at him. The agent then fired his service weapon several times, striking one subject who later died," the FBI said.
Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans cross the border illegally into the US each year to look for work. Many are sent straight home after being caught by US border agents.
Lou Patch, a supervisory US border patrol agent in El Paso, said agents may use deadly force when they fear "grievous bodily harm or death to ourselves or another."
Andrea Simmons, an FBI spokeswoman in El Paso, said the agent "was on the US side of the border and never left."
A witness said he saw half a dozen youths being chased back into Mexico after they had briefly crossed the dividing line under the bridge.
"They were not carrying anything. They weren't carrying weapons, packages, backpacks, only the clothes they were wearing, that's it," said the man, who declined to be named. "(Hernandez) hid behind the wall. He looked out and that's when (he) was shot," he said. "The agent shot at him twice ... He shot at him once, which left him stunned, and then he shot him again. It seems he was hit in the head."
The dead teenager's mother said she was especially angered the US agent had apparently killed her son on Mexican territory.
"I want him punished," she told Mexican television. "He's destroyed my life and left me with nothing."
Witnesses said they saw the unidentified agent shoot at Sergio Hernandez, aged around 14, on Monday under the bridge crossing between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, a violent city on the frontlines of Mexico's war against drug cartels.
A bystander said Hernandez was hanging around with friends when he was shot.
"We energetically condemn the death of a minor ... near the international border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, when a border patrol official shot at a group of migrants who were apparently throwing rocks," the Mexican foreign ministry said. "Using firearms to respond to an attack with rocks is a disproportionate use of force, particularly coming from officials that are specially trained."
But the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is leading a multi-agency investigation into the incident, said the agent shot during a confrontation with "suspected illegal aliens" trying to enter the US.
It said two suspects were arrested and the remainder retreated into Mexico, throwing rocks at the US agents.
"(The) agent ... gave verbal commands to the remaining subjects to stop and retreat. However, the subjects surrounded the agent and continued to throw rocks at him. The agent then fired his service weapon several times, striking one subject who later died," the FBI said.
Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans cross the border illegally into the US each year to look for work. Many are sent straight home after being caught by US border agents.
Lou Patch, a supervisory US border patrol agent in El Paso, said agents may use deadly force when they fear "grievous bodily harm or death to ourselves or another."
Andrea Simmons, an FBI spokeswoman in El Paso, said the agent "was on the US side of the border and never left."
A witness said he saw half a dozen youths being chased back into Mexico after they had briefly crossed the dividing line under the bridge.
"They were not carrying anything. They weren't carrying weapons, packages, backpacks, only the clothes they were wearing, that's it," said the man, who declined to be named. "(Hernandez) hid behind the wall. He looked out and that's when (he) was shot," he said. "The agent shot at him twice ... He shot at him once, which left him stunned, and then he shot him again. It seems he was hit in the head."
The dead teenager's mother said she was especially angered the US agent had apparently killed her son on Mexican territory.
"I want him punished," she told Mexican television. "He's destroyed my life and left me with nothing."
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