Border Patrol Agent fired at Texas Militia Member

He didn't hit him.  However he fired 4 rounds, while both the Militia Member and he himself were on Private Property.  The Militia member had permission to be there and put down his weapon and immediately identified himself.

What was the Border Patrol Agent doing there?

He had been chasing a group of illegals but had lost sight of them and he couldn't pick up their trail again.


"Border Patrol spokesman Omar Zamora said agents had been chasing a group of immigrants east of Brownsville Friday afternoon when an agent saw a man holding a gun near the Rio Grande. The agent fired four shots, but did not hit the man. The man then dropped his gun and identified himself as a member of a militia. Zamora said no other details were immediately available."

Now here is the kicker,

"Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio, whose agency is involved in the investigation, said the incident occurred on private property and it appeared the man had permission to be there. He was not arrested, Lucio said."

The Militia Member had permission to be there the Border Patrol Agent technically did not.  I say technically because the border area has certain clauses and exemptions for Law Enforcement.

Now then, there is an even MAJOR kicker.  The area where all of this went down is a MAJOR hunting area.  Birds, Deer, you name it, if it's in the area it's probably hunted.  So someone in Camo holding a long arm could easily be a hunter in that area.  To fire four rounds at someone is not exactly a good thing.  And it IS rather Irresponsible.

Now I don't want to come down on the Border Patrol or the Agent involved only.  The Militia could also at fault here.  I don't know, the story doesn't say if the Border Patrol Agent was informed or knew if the Militia member was in the area.  Which he SHOULD have been MADE aware of by the Militia and the Property Owner.  The problem is, in many cases Law Enforcement looks at Militias and Militia Members as insurrectionists and threats, instead of thinking that many Militia Members are Law Abiding Citizens who are tired of the Government and Law Enforcement not protecting them and their friends and family so they will do it themselves.

As I said, the Border Patrol Agent should have been aware of any and all Militia Members and the general areas and properties they might be located.  After all he is chasing people through various pieces of private property, many of which have Militia Members on them to protect the property owners property and families.  For all the Border Patrol Agent knows however, he might be drawing down on a Cartel Gunman, or he could be drawing down on an innocent hunter.  He evidently didn't know.  And he should have.