Border Patrol, Mexican cartel exchange gunfire amid ramped up security

Jan 28

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer), Jake Larsen (Video Editor)

U.S. Border Patrol agents exchanged gunfire with suspected Mexican cartel members near the U.S.-Mexican border. The exchange came as President Donald Trump ramps up border security.

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The Texas Department of Public Safety said the incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27, in the Rio Grande Valley near Fronton Island.

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What’s shown in the video?

Lt. Chris Olivarez posted drone videos to X, showing the moments unfold. According to Olivarez, shots were first fired from the Mexican side of the border at U.S. agents.

Then Border Patrol agents took cover, returned fire and called for backup.

“The state of Texas will continue to monitor the area closely and use every resource available to prevent transnational threats to our law enforcement partners and the homeland,” Olivarez said.

According to the report, none were injured on either side. Mexican officials have not yet commented on the incident.

The Department of Homeland Security told NewsNation that the cartel members were attempting to smuggle a group across the river but never made it to U.S. soil.

How is Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responding?

The Rio Grande Valley is known for cartel activity and human smuggling.

This week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, deployed 400 additional Texas National Guard troops to the area.

Tags: Border, Border crossings, Border czar, Border patrol, border wall, Drug cartels, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S.-Mexico Border

[Karah Rucker]

AS PRESIDENT TRUMP RAMPS UP BORDER SECURITY … U-S BORDER PATROL AGENTS EXCHANGED GUNFIRE WITH SUSPECTED MEXICAN CARTEL MEMBERS NEAR THE US-MEXICAN BORDER.

THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SAYS IT HAPPENED AROUND 1-30 MONDAY AFTERNOON IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY NEAR FRONTON ISLAND.

LIEUTENANT CHRIS OLIVAREZ POSTED DRONE VIDEO TO X, SHOWING THE MOMENTS UNFOLD.

ACCORDING TO OLIVAREZ, SHOTS WERE FIRST FIRED FROM THE MEXICAN SIDE OF THE BORDER AT U-S AGENTS.

THEN BORDER PATROL AGENTS TOOK COVER, RETURNED FIRE AND CALLED FOR BACKUP.

HE ADDED – “THE STATE OF TEXAS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE AREA CLOSELY AND USE EVERY RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO PREVENT TRANSNATIONAL THREATS TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS AND THE HOMELAND.”

NO ONE WAS HURT ON EITHER SIDE.

MEXICAN OFFICIALS HAVE NOT YET COMMENTED ON THE INCIDENT.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TELLS NEWSNATION THE CARTEL MEMBERS WERE ATTEMPTING TO SMUGGLE A GROUP ACROSS THE RIVER, BUT NEVER MADE IT TO U-S SOIL.

THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY IS KNOWN FOR CARTEL ACTIVITY AND HUMAN SMUGGLING.

THIS WEEK, TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT DEPLOYED 400 ADDITIONAL TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO THE AREA.

FOR SAN I’M KARAH RUCKER.

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