Border Patrol Agent Run Over

Written by KRGV-TV

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Lisa Cortez

PENITAS - Two suspected smugglers accused of running over a border patrol agent with an all terrain vehicle are in federal custody. They were arrested after an all-out manhunt near Penitas last night.

NEWSCHANNEL 5 has learned the agent was walking on a levee, patrolling the area, when he was hit by two smugglers on the ATV. One is an adult, the other a juvenile.

The agent is out of the hospital and recovering.

A border patrol spokesperson says the agent fired his weapon in self-defense after he was run over, but some people in the area say that put them in danger.

The tracks crisscross the area where a border patrol agent was mowed down by the driver of an all terrain vehicle.

Rebecca Craft lives a very short walk away and she saw everything. She was most alarmed when she heard gunfire; she was worried where the shots were being fired and who they could possibly hit. Her husband was also upset.

"My biggest concern was the safety of the community, the resident, the children here," said Hector Leos.

Border Patrol spokesperson John Lopez says agents go through extensive training to use firearms to protect lives. They are trained to shoot directly at the threat and protect innocent people. Often times, they have a split second to make a life or death decision.

Source: http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Border-Patrol-Agent-Run-Over/A23dNzuoz0KIQB25zPTdDw.cspx

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