U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed on Friday a Border Patrol agent who was patrolling near the Rio Grande in the El Paso Sector fired upon from two individuals on the Mexican side of the border. The agent took cover and was not hit.
In a statement, CBP said around 20 rounds from a rifle were used to shoot at the agent:
"On August 6, 2021, at approximately 3 AM, a BPA assigned to an area east of the Jonathan Rogers Water Treatment Plant reported hearing gunshots near his location and immediately drove to cover behind an obstruction. Camera operators confirmed the presence of two subjects with what appeared to be a rifle shooting north from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande River. Approximately 20 rounds were fired towards the agent from approximately 150 yards away. Fortunately, none of the rounds struck the agent. The two subjects were observed entering a sedan on the Mexican side and fleeing the scene. Mexican law enforcement authorities were immediately notified and officers were dispatched to the area."
The FBI will be taking over the investigation into the shooting.
Friday's shooting comes almost a month after cartels in Juarez, Mexico, the border town south of El Paso, put up banners facing the United States warning U.S. law enforcement that "bullets also can cross the river and the [border] wall..."
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection is aware of the threat and the matter has been referred to the appropriate investigative entities. As with any threat made against CBP personnel, it will be handled accordingly and not taken lightly," CBP said in an email at the time, according to Border Report.
