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US Border Patrol Open Fire at Group Hurling Rocks from Mexico
WOAI San Antonio ^ | March 3, 2006 | AP

Posted on 03/03/2006 6:43:55 PM PST by Mulder

EL PASO, Texas (AP) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent in El Paso shot at a group of people hurling rocks at him from across the Rio Grande on Thursday. No one was injured.

Robert Boatright, assistant chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol in El Paso, said the group of suspected illegal immigrants threw the rocks after running back across the river from the United States when they spotted the agent. They threw the rocks from about 25 yards away.

The agent, who Boatright did not identify, fired at least once.

Ciudad Juarez police officers went to the area but did not find anyone, Boatright said.

Thursday's confrontation, reported in the midst of the federal trial of two agents accused of unlawfully shooting a suspected drug smuggler and trying to hide the crime last year, is one more example of the rising danger along the U.S.-Mexico border, Boatright said. More than 770 assaults were reported last fiscal year, compared with just 396 in 2004.

The incident also coincided with a U.S. Senate hearing about increasing violence along the border.

So-called "rockings," as Border Patrol officials describe incidents like Thursday's, have become so prevalent in recent years that the federal agency has erected high-impact plastic glass barriers in spots along the Rio Grande where agents can park their vehicles in and around El Paso. Agents in some parts of the border are even starting to see "flaming rocks" - rocks wrapped in cloth, soaked in alcohol and lit on fire.

"We've had rock assaults where there was certainly sufficient velocity to break a windshield," Boatright said.

"Nobody did get hurt today but rocks can cause severe damage to someone's skull or face."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Mexico
KEYWORDS: aliens; bang; banglist; borderlist; immigrantlist
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To: Old Sarge

There really isn't a definitive reply to be made.

One of these days, and soon, the Border Patrol will cease to fire warning shots - which is why I suspect nobody was hurt - and they will start shooting to hit their attackers.

What I expect to happen first is that Mexican drug enforcers are going to cross over here and off a deputy sheriff for getting in their way. Then all Hell will break loose.


41 posted on 03/03/2006 10:42:59 PM PST by HiJinx (~ www.proudpatriots.org ~ Serving Those Who Serve Us ~ Operation Easter/Passover ~)
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To: Mulder; 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; ...
Click to see other threads related to illegal aliens in America
Click to FR-mail me for addition or removal

Here's a little more info on the BP's self-defense shooting today.

42 posted on 03/03/2006 10:45:51 PM PST by HiJinx (~ www.proudpatriots.org ~ Serving Those Who Serve Us ~ Operation Easter/Passover ~)
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To: JavaTheHutt

excellent ! ;^)


43 posted on 03/03/2006 10:49:16 PM PST by LeoWindhorse
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To: Mulder
This one wasn't so lucky!

http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/print/printer_22725.php

Border Patrol agent shoots man to death BY JEFFREY GAUTREAUX, SUN STAFF WRITER Mar 4, 2006

Escalating border violence turned deadly Thursday night as Border Patrol agents shot a man who fired upon them. It was the first fatal shooting in the Border Patrol's Yuma sector in six years, according to the agency.

The shooting occurred at 11:28 p.m. at County 18-1/2 Street and the Colorado River, an area where hundreds of illegal aliens have been robbed at gunpoint. A man believed to be an accomplice of the deceased man was arrested for allegedly being involved in these robberies.

"The last fatal shooting here was maybe six years ago, and nobody remembers the one before that," said Yuma sector Border Patrol spokesman Chris Van Wagenen. "It's very rare."

Border Patrol agents were patrolling in the area when they were confronted by an armed suspect who fired at least one round at them, according to the Sheriff's Office and Border Patrol. Agents returned fire, striking the man, who died at the scene.

The name of the deceased has not been released because next of kin have not been notified. The Mexican Consulate has been contacted for assistance.

After the shooting, Border Patrol apprehended Diego Armando Mendieta De La Torre, 20, of Mexicali who is a suspect in the robberies.

"It's our hope that we've at least caught two," Wilmot said. "We know there are more suspects involved. We've had reports of from one to five suspects, depending on the size of the group being robbed."

YCSO said De La Torre would be booked into Yuma County jail for a charge of participating in a criminal syndicate. Other charges may be sought later.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting a federal investigation of the shooting, the Border Patrol's Critical Incident Team is doing an internal investigation and YCSO is conducting the criminal investigation.

Wilmot said detectives were interviewing people Friday and working to find others involved in the armed robberies.

Since 2004, 195 people have been robbed in this same area of the border, Wilmot said. The numbers have skyrocketed from 25 in 2004 to 56 in 2005 to 114 already this year. And those numbers only include illegal aliens who were later apprehended by Border Patrol and reported the robberies — hundreds of others may have been robbed and never reported it.

Van Wagenen said the agents who fired on the man have been placed on administrative leave. He said he did not know how many agents were there or how many rounds had been fired.

While in the past it has been rare for shootings to occur, Van Wagenen admits that such an incident is not a surprise considering the increased violence on the border. The Border Patrol says it has seen a significant increase this fiscal year in assaults against agents and crimes against illegal aliens.

"We knew the violence was going to get worse as smugglers get frustrated. We knew it would get worse before it gets better," Van Wagenen said.

Wilmot said the body of the dead man will be sent to Tucson for autopsy. He said YCSO's investigation was expected to be lengthy.

The Border Patrol said it is fully cooperating with the YCSO and FBI on their investigations.

44 posted on 03/03/2006 11:45:26 PM PST by c-b 1
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To: Mulder

"fired at least once" = "Open Fire"?


45 posted on 03/03/2006 11:54:59 PM PST by the anti-liberal (Hey, Al Qaeda: Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent)
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To: ExSoldier

"...he Berlin Wall, once erected...worked."

Indeed it did. To the degree that when ONE person got thru it was a major story.


46 posted on 03/04/2006 4:11:57 AM PST by TalBlack (I WON'T suffer the journalizing or editorializing of people who are afraid of the enemies of freedom)
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To: Mulder

And our Government, Media and other Elites are for the rock throwers.


47 posted on 03/04/2006 4:16:07 AM PST by Sometimes A River (allow Common Sense and Faith to trump Logic and Reason)
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To: teacherwoes
The Border Patrol agent needs to go back to the shooting range and practice on hitting a target.

What makes you think he was trying to hit anyone? Remember, the targets were *in* Mexico. I'll wager the BP agent really didn't want to shoot anyone, just wanted them to quit throwing rocks at him.

48 posted on 03/04/2006 4:19:45 AM PST by Terabitten (The only time you can have too much ammunition is when you're swimming.)
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To: Mulder

When they ban all of the rocks, only criminals will have rocks. I see a new group forming: People for the Ethical Treatment of Rocks, PETR. A new role for a guvment brockacy: Bureau of Alcohol Tabacco Firearms Explosives Rocks, BATFER. Feinstein (an old Gaelic name unless I'm mistaken) could pose with an assault rock, her fingers in a knuckle-ball grip. The Left could try to put manufacturers of rocks out of business. Really, it could happen.


49 posted on 03/04/2006 4:35:36 AM PST by Simo Hayha (An eduction is incomplete without instruction in the use of arms to defend against harm.)
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To: Graybeard58

It's not a rock, it's an improvised ballistic device.


50 posted on 03/04/2006 4:40:43 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (NYT Headline: 'Protocols of the Learned Elders of CBS: Fake But Accurate, Experts Say.')
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To: Mulder
More than 770 assaults were reported last fiscal year, compared with just 396 in 2004.

For some reason, I have this image of pebbles being tossed, but from what I've heard, a lot of these "rocks" are more like small boulders, being rolled down hills and such.

51 posted on 03/04/2006 5:07:45 AM PST by Borax Queen
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To: HiJinx

BTTT! Thanks for the ping.


52 posted on 03/04/2006 5:11:17 AM PST by PGalt
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To: Old Sarge
It was to keep those in bondage to Socialism, in.

Hmmmmm... well, that would apply to a large degree, wouldn't it?

Seriously, I would rather see the laws of the land seriously enforced first, but that hasn't happened in 20 years, so it is a dilemna what we the people can do about it.

53 posted on 03/04/2006 5:13:19 AM PST by Borax Queen
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To: Mulder

These attacks across the border are on the increase. The House did their job on passing HR4437. The Senate needs our continued demand that they do the same. Remind your Senators to support the strong enforcement provisions in HR4437. Demand that the House/Senate conference report secures our borders and enforces tough immigration laws.


54 posted on 03/04/2006 5:55:11 AM PST by afnamvet
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

http://www.somosunpueblo.com/March%2030/English.htm

100,000 pro-illegal alien supporters to shut down the city of Chicago, in Protest of the Illinois Minuteman Project and in protest of "THE RACIST" proposal HR 4437

" The city will be paralyzed (with the march) and our voice is going to go up to Washington ", mentioned Radio Host El Pistolero "The Gunman."
Que Bueno 105.1FM


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=267709


55 posted on 03/04/2006 6:20:28 AM PST by chicagolady (Mexican Elite say: EXPORT Poverty Let the American Taxpayer foot the bill !)
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To: Squantos
Time to call a special meeting of the Ernest T. Bass Rock Chuckin Society to counter this attack on the CONUS !

Now where did I leave the plans for that trebuchet ??!?!

Nah, we'll be firing on a mobile, probably moving target, not a fixed position like a castle wall. Accordingly, trebuchet or mangonel out, ballista in.

A

56 posted on 03/04/2006 6:41:56 AM PST by archy (The darkness will come. It will find you,and it will scare you like you've never been scared before.)
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To: Graybeard58
Good morning.
"Never bring rocks to a gun fight."

I've always been fond of spud guns. A nice Russet can be stuffed with a variety of things to increase the damage, and I can hit pretty well at 100 yards. One of the best things about it is the cheap hairspray used as a propellant.

Apart from that, a 40 mm HE from an M-79 is the next best toy for responding to thrown rocks.

Is there a poll yet on how long it will take for things to get sufficiently lethal on the border for something to be done by the authorities?

Michael Frazier
57 posted on 03/04/2006 7:22:14 AM PST by brazzaville (no surrender no retreat, well, maybe retreat's ok)
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To: Squantos
Free Trebuchet Plans. Best to add wheels to this one for max range...
58 posted on 03/04/2006 7:27:44 AM PST by null and void (I nominate Sept 11th: "National Moderate Muslim Day of Tacit Approval". - Mr. Rational, paraphrased)
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To: HiJinx
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!

Support our Minutemen Patriots!

Be Ever Vigilant!


59 posted on 03/04/2006 7:43:07 AM PST by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: OKIEDOC

Illegals are filing lawsuits left and right and have been for a while.

Illegals sue BP and other gov't agencies constantly, most are settled with $25,000-$50,000 go away money.

Illegals show up at the hospital in active labor, no medical records, no prenatal care and then if anything goes wrong they sue Dr and hospital. Remember, no one pays the bill at the hospital or the Drs bill either.

Since the property in AZ was given to the two El Salvidorian illegals, now you can bet the suits against property owners on the border will pile up.

It is past time to shut down the border to the flood of illegals. We need a fence yesterday. People coming into this country need to go through the legal process to do so or not come at all.


60 posted on 03/04/2006 9:09:35 AM PST by Tammy8 (Build a Real Border Fence, and enforce Immigration Laws!!!)
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