Posted on 12/15/2010 1:00:22 PM PST by SandRat
NOGALES — A manhunt is under way for a suspect in last night’s deadly shooting of a Naco-based Border Patrol agent northwest of Nogales.
Agent Brian A. Terry, 40, was waiting with three other agents in a remote area north of Nogales late Tuesday when a gunbattle with the bandits began, said National Border Patrol Council President T.J. Bonner. No other agents were injured, but one of the suspects was wounded in the shoot-out.
Terry had served in the military and was a Border Patrol agent for about three years. While he agent was working in the Nogales area, he was based at the Naco station.
Authorities say they have arrested four suspects and are searching for another after the slaying in the Peck Canyon area.
Ranchers along Ruby Road said they were advised by the Border Patrol that the suspect may be headed in their direction as he tries to make his way toward the U.S.-Mexico border. A steady stream of Border Patrol and Arizona Department of Public Safety vehicles could be seen patrolling the area between Interstate 19 and Pena Blanca Lake this morning.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Antonio Estrada said his office first received a call for assistance shortly after 11 p.m. last night.
“Border Patrol called our dispatch, reporting shots fired and requesting emergency medical services to meet with them at Peck Canyon and Circulo Sombrero,” Estrada said.
The shooting occurred near Forest Service Road 4197, he said.
Terry was airlifted to a Tucson hospital, where he was pronounced dead early today.
Bonner told The Associated Press that Terry and three other agents were waiting for suspected border bandits when the shooting began. No other agents were injured, but one of the suspected bandits was wounded, Bonner said. Bandits have long roamed border areas, robbing and sexually assaulting illegal immigrants as they cross into the country.
Estrada said the FBI had taken over the investigation, and the four suspects who have reportedly been detained are not being held at the Santa Cruz County jail.
He said Terry was the first Border Patrol agent killed in Santa Cruz County since 1998.
Terry, a Michigan native, was working with one of the agency’s BORTAC SWAT teams at the time of his death, said Brandon Judd, president of the Local 2544 agents’ union.
BORTAC units deal with the Border Patrol’s most dangerous situations, Judd said.
“They specialize in activity such as what they encountered last night, that’s what they’re there for,” he said. “Any time an agent encounters a known suspect that has weapons, we call BORTAC.”
The area in and around Peck Canyon has been plagued in recent years by border bandits, with Border Patrol agents, hunters, rancher and illegal immigrants regularly reporting encounters – sometimes violent – with armed men. It’s no coincidence that Terry was working in the area, Judd said.
“Anywhere that we know that bandit activity is taking place, that’s where BORTAC goes,” he said. “If BORTAC’s out there patrolling that area, it’s a bad area."
Terry had been with the Border Patrol for three years prior to his death. Prior to that, he worked eight or nine years as a police officer in Michigan, Judd said.
“So even though he only had three years with the Border Patrol, he was very experienced as far as law enforcement goes,” he said.
Terry was not married, did not have children, and Judd believes his parents live in Detroit. Judd said he was unaware whether memorial services had been scheduled.
Bonner, whose group represents 17,000 agents, said the fatal shooting shows that the border is still dangerous.
“This is a sign that the politicians and bureaucrats are overly optimistic in their assessment that the borders are more secure now than at any point in our history. It showed just the opposite,” Bonner said.
REACTION TO THE SLAYING
From U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords:
I am deeply saddened by the senseless murder of Agent Brian Terry, who was killed in the line of duty while protecting our nation’s borders.
This is a tragedy that deserves nothing less than the swiftest and strongest response. It is a stark reminder that our borders are not yet secure. The full efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are focused on bringing to justice all those involved.
What additional tragedies must Southern Arizonans endure before my colleagues in Congress and the Obama administration address this crisis with the full weight of our resources? We must act and we must act now.
The deployment of the National Guard must be extended. Additional Border Patrol agents must be dispatched to the border. And we must make smarter decisions about how technology can assist in meeting this vast challenge.
While boots on the ground are critical, they are not enough. All those responsible for securing our border must be fully equipped with the resources they need to get the job done – forward operating bases, unmanned aerial systems and electronic surveillance.
While there have been some small measures of progress in securing the border, Agent Terry’s murder and the still-unsolved slaying of rancher Robert Krentz on his land in Cochise County in March are painful reminders that much more remains to be done.
Drugs and violence along the border continue to pose significant challenges for our nation. The Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol, to which Agent Terry was assigned, must be the focus for national enforcement efforts. It is responsible for almost 50 percent of the drug seizures by the entire Border Patrol nationwide.
Mexico is a nation at war. Battles between drug cartels and the government have led to the killing of more than 28,000 people in Mexico in the last four years since President Felipé Calderon declared war on the drugs cartels. That drug violence has come across our border and directly impacted our way of life.
We must not relent in our efforts to make Southern Arizona safe. Ranchers and other residents must be able to live on their land and in their homes and work in their businesses without fear. Law enforcement officers protecting our citizens must not be threatened by vicious criminals who enter our country illegally.
I salute the resolute work of the brave men and women of the Border Patrol and the other agencies that work every day to protect our borders. And I offer my heartfelt condolences to the Terry family for their profound personal loss. Our commitment to them must be evident in our determination to bring to justice every person involved in this horrific crime."
From U.S. Sen. John McCain:
My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Agent Brian Terry after yesterday’s tragic shooting near Rio Rico, Ariz.
This event is yet another reminder of the dangers the men and women of the Border Patrol face every day as they put their lives on the line to protect the American people. The increased violence in the border region demands that Congress provide the necessary resources and personnel to ensure the safety of all Americans, especially Border Patrol agents stationed on the border, and fulfill the federal government’s responsibility to secure our border.
From Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano:
The fatal shooting of Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry last night is an unconscionable act of violence against the men and women of the Border Patrol and all those who serve and defend our country.
Agent Terry was killed in the line of duty while confronting several suspects near Rio Rico, Ariz. It is a stark reminder of the very real dangers our men and women on the frontlines confront every day as they protect our communities and the American people.
We are working with other federal, state and local authorities to ensure those responsible for this horrendous act are held responsible. We will leave no stone unturned as we seek justice for the perpetrators.
I want to extend my deepest condolences to Agent Terry’s family at this difficult time. We will honor his memory by remaining resolute and committed to the serious task of securing our nation’s borders. I ask that all of us keep Agent Terry and his family in our prayers.
From the Arizona Cattlemen’s Association:
Today we are deeply saddened by the loss of Agent Brian Terry, a patrol officer from the Nogales Border Patrol Station. We are thankful for his dedicated service to protecting the United States of America.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Terry family. The Arizona Cattlemen’s Association knows what it is like to lose one of your own and we realize the support that is necessary to get the family through this difficult time. We are prepared to provide support, in any way possible that is needed for Agent Terry’s family.
Border Patrolman’s murder
Uh, I believe we're still waiting for your remarks on the murders of civilians along our borders...
We will honor his memory by remaining resolute and committed to the serious task of securing our nation’s borders.
Yeah, sure you will.
Abrams
Congress and the US Chamber of Commerce needs to pony up to support the Terry family, after all, they have his blood on their hands.
Hey McCain, how is that cheap labor working out for you?
We’ve heard that Obama has come out publicly and condemned the Iranian mosque bombing.
Has he stepped up to the plate on this one??
Just think of how many would have been killed if the border wasn't totally secured.
Uh, strike that! Imagine how many would have been killed if our President didn't have the situation under control.
Christmas for the Terry family is going to suck.
Prayers on the way.
Well, he was SHOT. That means we need more "common sense" gun control laws.
/sarc
Stunning news. Again. If it keeps happening, we’re suppose to become accustomed to it so our rage goes away. Let’s please not let it. Rest in Peace, Brian Terry.
Governor Brewer has been missed on media lately. Dying to know what is up with the state supreme court reading on her petititions.
Who is behind the borders being left open for drugs and Illegals this goes way back through Obama ,Bush ,Clinton ,Bush Who??
Hell no.
LLS
Nope!
Young men today have got a chance to really prove themselves.
So many more opportunities than when I was in my 20’s.
I know I wouldn’t be able to resist the opportunity for the outstanding training and opportunities to zap zombies.
“Abrams”
Warthogs
I read and responded to the Breaking News thread concerning this matter. I cannot be more sad than I am today. Our people, on the front lines, do not deserve what is taking place. Politicians, I am disgusted with nearly the whole lot of them on this matter. As someone else typed, these politicians now have a man who represented the laws of our nation, Agent Brian Terry's, blood on their hands. I can type no more on this, other than to offer my sincere appreciation to Mr. Terry's family for having a son who fought and gave his ALL, in defense of our nation. Mr. Terry is an American Hero.
What a happy coincidence! We just happen to have a whole bunch of A10 Warthogs right up the road at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tuscon. It would be great training for the pilots heading for the mountains of Afghanistan.
Grijalva urged parties on both sides of the border to work together to continue the downward trend in violence.“This crime should not deter the many peaceful efforts underway to improve the quality of life for people on both sides of the border.”
Can this idiot concentrate on our side of the border, and just our side of the border, for once? One of our defenders was slain. By someone from the other side of the border. Once again Grijalva indicates who he really represents.
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