US Border Patrol shooting in Arizona near Mexico border leaves one in critical condition
US Border Patrol was involved in a shooting near Arivaca, Arizona, leaving one person critically injured, as the FBI and Customs and Border Protection investigate amid rising backlash over aggressive immigration enforcement.
One person was shot and hospitalized in critical condition on Tuesday (January 27) in an incident involving the US Border Patrol near the US-Mexico border in southern Arizona, news reports cited authorities as saying.
The shooting occurred in Arivaca, a community about 10 miles from the border, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Chris Nanos said his office was working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and US Customs and Border Protection to investigate the incident.
Border Patrol involvement
Local authorities said the shooting involved a Border Patrol agent and a suspect. The Santa Rita Fire District, which responded to the scene, said the wounded individual was taken into custody and later transferred by medical helicopter to a regional trauma center.
“Patient care was transferred to a local medical helicopter for rapid transport to a regional trauma center,” the fire district said in a statement.
The individual who was shot has not been identified, and officials have not released details about what led to the use of force. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Arivaca is a busy corridor for migrant crossings and has previously been a flashpoint for tensions between migrant advocates and Border Patrol agents.
Recent fatal incidents
The shooting comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement following a series of recent fatal incidents. On Saturday (January 24), 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minnesota. Earlier this month, 37-year-old Renee Good was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
Those deaths have triggered protests in Minneapolis, and intensified criticism of the Department of Homeland Security over the aggressive tactics used by immigration agents.
President Donald Trump, who won the 2024 election after pledging a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, has expanded deportation operations since returning to office last year.
Masked immigration officers wearing tactical gear have become a common sight in several US cities, and clashes between agents and protesters have escalated in recent weeks.
Public support for Trump’s immigration enforcement policies has shown signs of softening, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, as Republicans face growing political pressure ahead of midterm elections.
(With Reuters, AP inputs)