A gunman launched a targeted attack on U.S. Border Patrol personnel Monday, opening fire in what officials described as a deliberate ambush aimed at agents simply carrying out their duties.
The incident occurred at a Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen, Texas, where agents and local police returned fire, fatally shooting the assailant. Authorities say the shootout underscores the increasingly hostile climate surrounding illegal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump.
No fatalities were reported among law enforcement, though a McAllen police officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the exchange.
“This morning an individual opened fired at the entrance of the United States Border Patrol sector annex in McAllen, Texas. Both Border Patrol agents and local police helped neutralize the shooter,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement to Fox News. “This is an ongoing investigation led by the FBI. More information will be shared as it becomes available.”
Law enforcement officials believe the shooter intentionally targeted Border Patrol agents. Additional details are expected to be released at a press conference scheduled for later Monday. The attack comes just three days after another officer was shot while on duty outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Prairieland Detention Facility, also located in Texas.
“We are closely monitoring the attacks on DHS detention facilities in Prairieland, TX, and Portland, OR, and are coordinating with the [US Attorney offices] and our law enforcement partners,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on X. “The Department [of Justice] has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible,” he added.
Several suspects were taken into custody around 11 p.m. Friday after an Alvarado Police Department officer responded to a report of a suspicious individual, according to Fox News. The officer was shot in the neck while approaching the group and was airlifted to a hospital in Fort Worth. He has since been released.
The armed suspects initially fled the scene but were later apprehended with assistance from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies. According to Houston’s Fox affiliate, the gunman in Monday’s incident was outfitted in tactical gear and armed with a high-powered rifle.
