Mexican cartel leaders have reportedly put a hit out on U.S. Border Patrol agents in the San Diego sector following an incident in which one of their members was run over by a Border Patrol agent.
A warning was issued to agents on Thursday about the possibility of a retaliatory shooting in the coming days after a video from Nov. 27 went viral. The video shows a Border Patrol officer hitting a suspect with an SUV while responding to an illegal entry attempt.
“Information suggests a cartel member was involved in the incident. As a result, cartel leaders are angry, claiming the incident happened without cause or remorse,” the memo stated.
According to the report, cartel leaders allegedly put out a hit on Border Patrol agents in the San Diego sector after one of their members was struck by an agent. “The information received suggested that the shooting could happen in the next few days. All agents, regardless of their duty assignments, should remain vigilant,” the warning continued.
The incident at the center of the cartel’s anger involved six people near a fence along the San Diego border after illegally entering the U.S.
As a Border Patrol agent races to the scene in an SUV, the men can be seen fleeing on foot or attempting to scale the fence. One man briefly stops in the road.
The vehicle speeds past and hits the man, sending him flying a few feet away. The suspect quickly gets up and joins three others waiting for him before leading them down a steep slope in an attempt to escape.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed in a statement that two people were arrested at the San Ysidro port of entry during the “human smuggling incident” but did not specify whether the man hit by the car was among them.
Border Patrol officials stated the agent driving the vehicle, who remains unnamed, was focused on two individuals scaling the border wall when he struck the man who froze in the road.
A source told The Post that the agent was “concentrating” on a ladder used by migrants to scale the border wall, and his in-vehicle computer monitor was obstructing his view.
The alleged smuggler then “ran as fast as he could” back into Mexico, the source added.
The agent has since been reassigned to “desk duties,” meaning he is not currently on the frontlines.
The shocking video initially sparked condemnation from human rights groups, who accused the Border Patrol agent of deliberately using his vehicle to strike the suspect.
The incident is now under review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility.
Tensions at the San Diego-Mexico border have been running high, particularly after the Sinaloa Cartel issued an order for its members to target Border Patrol officers in western Texas following the arrest of cofounder Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in October. The Sinaloa Cartel, previously led by Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, has been accused of firing at contractors working near Eagle Pass, Texas, on Oct. 7.
The area of the San Diego border where the latest incident occurred is a hotspot for cartel activity, with masked smugglers frequently attempting to assault and block agents and their vehicles, according to sources.