Border Patrol agents fire into Mexico during bust
SAN ANTONIO — U.S. Border Patrol agents fired gunshots into Mexico after coming under attack during a half-ton drug bust and giving chase to a truck along the Rio Grande, U.S. authorities said Monday.
No Border Patrol agents were hurt during the “fire fight” early Saturday in Mission, agency spokeswoman Rosalinda Huey said. She did not say whether Border Patrol gunfire hit anyone, citing the ongoing investigation.
“The firing they received came from the Mexican side,” Huey said.
Huey said several Border Patrol agents, at least some of whom were patrolling in boats, were seizing a half-ton of marijuana when they came under gunfire. Federal officials said the shots from Mexico began when a truck that was being chased by another group of Border Patrol agents entered the area.
FBI special agent Jorge Cisneros said the truck, which was on the U.S. side, appeared to be connected to the drug seizure. He said the gunfire from Mexico was a “direct result” of Border Patrol agents doing their jobs.
Cisneros described the shootout as brief.
“We’re obviously concerned with what happened, that they would be shooting from the Mexico side to us,” Cisneros said.