Border Agent Shoots (and Kills 14-Year Old) Suspect at Bridge

[tekisui]

Source: AP

EL PASO, Texas — A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and killed a 14-year-old boy after a confrontation at an international bridge near downtown El Paso, Mexican authorities said Tuesday.

Chihuahua State officials released a statement Tuesday demanding a full investigation into the death of the boy, identified as Sergio Adrian Hernandez Huereca.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Doug Mosier said preliminary reports indicated one person was shot Monday evening on the U.S. side of the Paso Del Norte bridge, across from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Mosier referred to the FBI for further comment.

FBI spokeswoman Andrea Simmons said she had no other details, including the whereabouts or condition of the suspect. Simmons said the agent wasn't injured.

more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g4bsSAl5isOWz2ldzjbM_za6j4gAD9G75DH81

[Mari333]

1. sigh.

[golddigger]

2. And so it begins...

[blondeatlast]

3. Jesus, my own son is 13 with brown skin. Why, dear God, why?

:cry:

[dmallind]

4. Well there are two possibilities

1) a Border Patrol member suddenly killed a perfectly peaceable and legal entrant into the US for no reason at all

2) A teenage criminal was shot during a confrontation with the Border Patrol for not complying with lawful orders

I sincerely have no reason from this article to suspect one over the other. I do not think it is impossible for LEOs to turn into murderers because some have. I also know it's not impossible for people of any age to decide death by cop is a worthwhile risk taking to achieve their nefarious ends, because many have done so. Thee are many more instances of the latter, but then again there are many more criminals than LEOs.

For your son to cut his odds of being shot, it's best for him to avoid falling into group 2. Only luck can avoid group 1.

[TheMadMonk]

8. Or perhaps he was a diabetic in hyperglycemic shock.

(Think I got my hypers and hypos right.)

Perhaps he had family or friends in trouble and he wanted help.

Perhaps he was being a typical teenage kid looking to provoke a reaction.

There are any number of reasons that kid might have been there.

No reason, short of that kid brandishing a weapon while directly threatening someone, justifies that officer firing his weaopon.

[dmallind]

9. All of which except perhaps the reaction provoking fall into option 1

Depending on what he did to provoke a reaction it may fall into option 2.

[blondeatlast]

10. (Hypo--hyper slows you down considerably). I'm a lifetime insulin dependent diabetic.

And your last line is exactly right.

[TheMadMonk]

20. Shoulda known I'd get it wrong. I know one can make you manic...

...and pretty much oblivious to anything short of physical contact.

[blondeatlast]

21. No worries. When I was 7 and recently diagnosed, I fought off my dad,

screaming all the while "I want my daddy!" while having a hypo event.

My dad was 6' 4" and an ex college varsity basketball player.

[yella_dawg]

11. So legally...

So legally, you can be shot for insufficient obedience?


Damn!

[dmallind]

16. This is a surprise to you?

We have no clue what escalation this officer went through and why yet. It's possible he's a murderer pure and simple. It's possible he exhausted all other options to prevent the commission of a crime and the escape of a criminal. There is not a country on earth where escalation is impossible. If there were it would be an anarchy where all the criminal would have to do to get off completely is escalate the situation to where only deadly force would stop him.

[walldude]

12. So the punishment for "not complying with lawful orders" is death?

Good plan. :eyes:

The punishment for illegal entry into the US is death? Is that how fucking arrogant we are?

[dmallind]

14. Depends on what other options are available.

But allowing people to break laws is not a viable option for those tasked to uphold them, and the escalation to deadly force should always be progressive but never off the table. There is not a country on earth, not even mostly unarmed ones like the UK, where this is not the case, so it's hardly a US-specific arrogance.

[yella_dawg]

15. "allowing people to break laws is not a viable option for those tasked to uphold them"

Depending, of course, on the wealth of the perpetrator or his/her family.

[dmallind]

18. Do we know the wealth of this family? Oh and google "Don Scott". NT

[walldude]

19. So your answer is yes, illegal immigration can be punished by death.

as long as it "escalates" to that point. Well I see no information yet on exactly how this escalated, but somehow, from experience, I would say in the end we will find out that this could have been avoided. But go ahead and continue your pro-death penalty for non violent crimes rant. It's impressive.

[dmallind]

22. ANY situation can be "punished by death" if you risk the life of LEOs yes.

I think it's actually a "pro-reality" rant as the DP is not relevant here. If you steal a Snickers bar and escalate the situation to where the officer's life is in danger you can be "punished by death" for that too. Bugger all to do with the DP.

I also clearly said there are two options, so I am completely fine if it is proven the shooting was not warranted with charging the LEO as needed.

The difference is I know that's not the ONLY possibility, and that his use of deadly force could also be shown to be warranted. I am not the one judging without sufficient facts. Breathless hyperbole about punishing illegal immigration by death and the death penalty is not the sign of a rational mind.

[fascisthunter]

5. shot and killed a 14 year old. My O' my look what the right wing in this country has done...

have they done one decent thing in American History, something all people benefit from rather than their elitist little narrow minded club?

[negativenihil]

6. Well thank goodness the agent wasnt injured! (sarcasm)

SHEEEEEEESH. This is disgusting.

[gratuitous]

7. 14-year-olds is scary!

And right now we have the Wet-Your-Pants Brigade running things.

[Desertrose]

13. But...but....he had BROWN skin.....

so it was his fault he got shot...right?
(Please don't make me have to use the sarcasm thingy.)


This is only the beginning.... :cry:

[upi402]

17. agent assaulted?

unreal

even the tepid news babe on mid day MSNBC reported this