Posted on 07/25/2009 9:31:38 PM PDT by South40
Mexican federal authorities said at a news conference Saturday night in Tijuana that they have arrested the man they believed killed U.S. Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas in Campo Thursday night.
The suspect, Earnesto Parra Valenzuela, 36, is in federal custody after being detained yesterday in Tecate.
Tecate officials said Friday that they were questioning an armed man found on the Mexican side of the border hours after the shooting.
Valenzuela was identified by a smuggling suspect as the man who shot Rosas, authorities said Saturday night. Rosas, 30, a married father of two, was tracking suspected illegal immigrants about 9 p.m. Thursday when he came under fire near the U.S.-Mexican border.
Other agents also responding to the call heard the gunshots and were unable to raise Rosas on the radio. They found him dead outside his vehicle near the border fence moments later.
FBI officials on Friday offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the assailants. Keith Slotter, special agent in charge of the FBI's San Diego office, said he could not say if Rosas was able to return fire, though he said blood at the scene suggested that at least one assailant might have been wounded.
Hospitals and clinics on both side of the border were being checked to determine if anyone wounded in the attack sought medical aid.
Authorities have not confirmed news reports of arrests Friday at a San Jose hospital in connection with the case.
The shooting has rekindled concerns for the safety of agents who often patrol desolate areas alone.
“Any time a tragedy occurs, it causes a lot of introspection as to whether the tactics are a match for the threats agents are facing,” said Border Patrol Agent T.J. Bonner, president of the agency's union.
“I'm sure this is going to cause a top to bottom review of tactics being employed, especially in light of the ever increasing threats facing our Border Patrol agents.”
Richard Barlow, acting Chief Agent of the Border Patrol in San Diego, said it is common for an agent to begin tracking individuals alone prior to backup arriving.
Bonner, who has worked in the Campo area for 31 years, said tactics that require agents to work close to the U.S.-Mexico boundary, where agents are most vulnerable, are especially concerning.
“The problem is that sometimes situations evolve so rapidly,” Bonner said. “You're thinking 'Boy it'd be nice to have a partner now' but you're the only one there. Incidents typically happen in seconds.”
Last year, there were 1,097 reported assaults against Border Patrol agents nationwide, with the majority occurring at the Southwest border, Bonner said.
Most have been rocking throwing, he said, “but there were close to 50 assaults involving weapons.” Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Lakeside, said Friday that the slaying is a tragic reminder of the battle being waged on the border each day.
“Agent Rosas death shows that the border is still an issue, even though it's not on everybody's radar right now,” Hunter said.
Reinforced border fencing has recently been installed in some areas in the county, but the fencing is much older in other parts, including where the shooting occurred.
Hunter introduced a bill to Congress last week would give Homeland Security complete discretion to build as much as 350 miles of additional reinforced fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border where necessary.
Arm our guys with full autos and no repercussions.
Get a rope!
Suspected Smuggler Fingers Alleged Border Patrol Killer
Mexican authorities say their investigation then led them to a group of human smugglers that operated in the area and were also wanted by US authorities.
They say one of them fingered Parra Valenzuela.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/jul/25/suspected-smuggler-fingers-alleged-border-patrol-k/
How much did the Ramos/Compean conviction play into this death? Did he hesitate to shoot thinking he would end up in prison?
Someone needs to ask that of Jorge Bush.
If the border agent shot the guy in the butt, he’d be facing life in prison now. At least there’s a chance he’d be alive now.
The local newspaper where Rosas lived before his murder runs a column by Maria Salinas and Leonard Pitts both American haters. Freepers need to take a look at the local paper.
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