EL PASO, TX – U.S. Border Patrol agents were reportedly targeted by gunmen from Mexico while on duty at the southern border, according to multiple official sources.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) verified that the incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, with shots being fired from the Mexican side of the border in the El Paso, Texas area. The CBP disclosed that their agents were part of a “use of force incident” as they responded to reports of gunfire near the Ysleta Station border in Texas. It was confirmed that CBP agents retaliated.
The FBI acknowledged the shooting incident in a statement, describing it as an “assault on federal agents.” The incident took place near the Ysleta USBP Station – Lopez Gate. The FBI’s El Paso Violent Crime Task Force and Evidence Recovery Team were deployed to gather evidence from the crime scene. The investigation is ongoing, with the FBI working closely with the U.S. Custom and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility.
The CBP confirmed that none of their agents were harmed during the incident and that an inquiry is in progress. This incident is not an isolated event, as agents have been subjected to similar attacks in recent weeks.
This incident coincides with a significant increase in illegal border crossings this fiscal year. CBP sources report that there have been 175,000 “known getaways,” referring to illegal immigrants who have successfully evaded Border Patrol agents but have been detected by other surveillance methods without being apprehended, since the fiscal year began in October.