Mexico Protests ‘Violent Acts’ by Border Patrol

SAN DIEGO —  For the second time this year, the Mexican government has lodged a protest over “violent acts” involving the shooting of illegal immigrants by U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Tijuana-San Diego border area.

The latest complaint was over Tuesday’s shooting of Francisco Ruiz Chavez, 23, after he allegedly hit a Border Patrol agent in the head with a rock. Also apprehended at the scene was a woman, Castenada Serna, 21, who was not injured but is still in custody.

Ruiz was shot once in the abdomen and once in the groin. Witnesses said the border agent, who has not been identified, fired as he was falling down after being hit by the rock. Ruiz was hospitalized at the UC San Diego Medical Center, where he is reported in good condition.

“The Mexican government is deeply worried about the frequency of violent acts committed in U.S. territory against undocumented Mexicans, especially in the border zone of Tijuana-San Diego,” the Mexican Foreign Ministry said in a statement released Thursday night.

The statement said Mexico’s ambassador to Washington, Gustavo Petricioli, plans to ask the State and Justice departments for an investigation of the incident.

“The Mexican government has decided to make a gesture to the highest level of the U.S. government to ask for an exhaustive investigation not only of this lamentable act but of the frequency of these violent acts occurring with the participation of U.S. police officials,” the statement said.

Gene Smithburg, assistant chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol in San Diego, said his office has been told of the Mexican government’s criticism. He said an official response to the protest would have to come from the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s headquarters in Washington. Officials there were not available for comment.

The San Diego section is one of the most violent areas along the U.S.-Mexico border. Confrontations are common there between U.S. authorities and Mexican bandits who prey upon those illegally crossing the border.

The Border Patrol said one of its officers opened fire with his revolver about 11 a.m. when he was hit by at least one rock allegedly thrown or held by Ruiz, who tried to stop the agent from arresting Serna. An American witness, Mary Ellis, saw the incident and said Serna was putting up a fight as the agent tried to handcuff her.

The confrontation occurred on U.S. land near a flood-control levee that runs just north of the border and west of the port of entry at San Ysidro, according to the Border Patrol. The agent was taken to a hospital, treated for his head wound and released.

In January, the Mexican government protested the shooting death of two Mexican citizens by Border Patrol agents during another confrontation along the border.

In that incident, a special border crimes task force fired on a group of men that U.S. law enforcement officials said threatened the unit.

The Mexican government, however, painted a different picture of the shooting. Mexican officials said the two dead men were gunned down from behind as they were fleeing the officers and attempting to run back into Mexico.