The FBI is investigating a U.S. Border Patrol-agent-involved killing that happened Sunday afternoon along the Arizona-Mexico border.
According to the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, the shooting happened about noon Sunday. A Border Patrol agent scuffled with an illegal immigrant he was trying to arrest and then shot the migrant during the struggle.
The agency has declined to release further details of the shooting, including the name of the victim or the name of the agent. The Border Patrol did not volunteer news of the shooting, sending a prepared statement about the incident only after a reporter inquired.
Six illegal immigrants were arrested at the crime scene. The FBI confirms it is investigating the incident but declined to discuss the case.
Since 2010, 19 people have been killed by Border Patrol agents, one was a friendly fire shooting. In every other case, the Border Patrol has said the agents were acting in self-defense.
Sunday's shooting was the third killing by a Border Patrol agent in the last two months. On Oct. 2, Agent Nicholas Ivie was killed in Cochise County. He was shot in the head in a friendly fire incident by another Border Patrol agent.
On Oct. 10, a Border Patrol agent fired into Mexico, killing 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez. The agency said the agent was defending himself against rock-throwers. It is unclear whether the teenager was part of the group throwing rocks at agents.
