Border Patrol agents attempting to arrest a migrant near Fronton, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley came under gunfire Saturday morning. As the agents attempted the arrest, several shots were fired at them from Mexico. The agents avoided injury during the incident that damaged their patrol vehicle.
The incident occurred at 8:45 a.m. on the banks of the Rio Grande near Fronton, according to a statement released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The gunfire erupted as Rio Grande Valley City Station Border Patrol agents attempted to arrest a migrant who had illegally crossed the border from Mexico. The agents were not struck by the gunfire but their vehicle sustained damage after being hit.
The agents involved in the incident did not return gunfire, officials stated. Few details regarding the shooting incident were available at press time. The incident is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
According to a source within CBP, the Fronton area is notorious for narcotics smuggling and is controlled by the Gulf Cartel (CDG). The source says the area has been the scene of numerous narcotics seizures attributed to the Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station that is responsible for patrolling the area.
Fronton, located approximately five miles east of Roma, Texas, has seen its share of border violence in the past. Border Patrol agents and other law enforcement officers have come under gunfire on several occasions. In August 2019, four gunmen in Mexico fired more than 50 rounds at a Border Patrol airboat patrolling the Rio Grande, Breitbart Texas reported. No agents were injured however the vessel was struck several times. According to the source, the gunmen were protecting a shipment of cocaine and an underwater pulley system used to shuttle the narcotics across the river.
In 2016, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper and a Border Patrol agent were shot in the same area when a gunfight between police authorities and narcotics smugglers erupted. Both law enforcement officers survived their injuries.
Saturday’s incident quickly circulated on social media and included photos of the damaged Border Patrol vehicle.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.