Assault on Federal Officer Investigated

At approximately 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 7, 2010, Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents responded to a group of suspected illegal aliens being smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico near the Paso del Norte Port of Entry.

One subject, Oscar Ivan Pineda Ayala, was initially detained on the levy. Another agent arrived on his bicycle along the cement apron that forms the river bank on the U.S. side. That agent detained a second subject, Augustin Alcaraz Reyes, but other subjects ran into Mexico and began to throw rocks at the agent.

This agent, who had the second subject detained on the ground, gave verbal commands to the remaining subjects to stop and retreat. However, the subjects surrounded the agent and continued to throw rocks at him. The agent then fired his service weapon several times, striking one subject who later died.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has jurisdiction for any assault on federal officers and is the lead agency. The investigation continues and is being worked with El Paso Police Department, Customs and Border Protection Internal Affairs, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General.

The area where this incident occurred is a known high-risk crime area where rocks are regularly thrown at Border Patrol agents and where other assaults have been reported.