Border Patrol responds to rocks, bottles with gunfire

NEAR MADERO — U.S. Border Patrol agents opened fire on an undisclosed number of people throwing beer bottles at one of the agency’s boats Monday morning.

Border Patrol officials said agents opened fire from their boat on the Rio Grande close to the Chimney Park RV Resort near Madero about 8 a.m. Monday.

Local Border Patrol spokesman Joe Treviño said no injuries were reported during the incident — either from the gunfire or the objects thrown at the agents.

Rocks, bottles and other objects were used during the attack, said Treviño, who emphasized that agents continue to investigate the incident.  

“They were being bombarded with objects,” Treviño said of the agents.

After the bottle bombardment, agents returned with an undisclosed number of gunshots.

Authorities have said agents patrolling with boats in the Rio Grande have encountered people in rafts who have thrown rocks or bottles — often filled with pebbles or sand.

Border Patrol would not disclose how many agents were involved in Monday morning’s gunfire, how many shots were fired or whether the agency’s boat was on U.S. or Mexican territory.

“All that remains under investigation,” Treviño said.

Mexican officials said Monday evening they had not learned of the incident.

Treviño said it is Border Patrol’s policy to not fire “warning shots” when agents fear for their safety, as they did Monday.

“We do not fire warning shots,” he said. “We shoot because we fear for our safety and we’re trying to remove the threat.”

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.