By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A 34-year-old Arizona man was shot and wounded Tuesday in an exchange of gunfire with U.S. Border Patrol agents near Arivaca, Arizona, close to the U.S.–Mexico border.
• Federal agents were attempting to stop the man during a human smuggling investigation when he fled and opened fire, officials said.
• The man reportedly fired at both a Border Patrol helicopter and federal agents before agents returned fire.
• He was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition and later remained in federal custody.
• The FBI is leading a use-of-force investigation with assistance from local law enforcement and CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility.
ARIVACA, AZ — A 34-year-old man was shot and wounded Tuesday after exchanging gunfire with U.S. Border Patrol agents during a human smuggling enforcement action near Arivaca, Arizona, federal and local authorities said.
Border Patrol agents attempted to stop the man’s vehicle in the Arivaca area, a community about 10 miles north of the U.S.–Mexico border, as part of an ongoing smuggling investigation. When the man fled on foot, he allegedly fired at a federal helicopter and at agents, officials said.
Agents returned fire, striking the suspect, who was transported by medical helicopter to a trauma center in Tucson, where he underwent surgery and remained in serious but stable condition.
The man, identified by authorities as a resident of southern Arizona with a criminal history including human smuggling and a recent escape from custody, is in federal custody and expected to face multiple charges such as assault on a federal officer and smuggling offenses.
The FBI’s Phoenix office is leading the investigation into the use of force, with assistance from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, officials said.
Federal and local authorities provided no further details on the circumstances of the exchange or a timeline for the investigation’s completion.