Border Patrol agent wounds alleged assailant in truck

By Daniel Borunda and Tammy Fonce-Olivas / El Paso Times
El Paso Times

The shooting occurred after two agents in street clothes spotted a cash transaction between the driver and another man who got into the truck in the parking lot of Alamo Auto Supply, 5923 Gateway West at Trowbridge Drive, Border Patrol spokesmen said.

Border Patrol officials said the incident began when agents saw the Dodge truck and a Dodge Stratus, driven by a man with his wife and children, meet in the parking lot of Alamo Auto Supply. The agents saw the man in the Stratus go into the store, exit and get into the passenger side of the pickup.

"There, the agents observed the transfer of a roll of cash between the subjects" in the vehicles, Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said.

The agents went up to the truck, identified themselves and were wearing badges around their necks, officials said. The passenger raised his hands in surrender as he got out of the truck, but the driver rolled up his window and allegedly tried to run over one of the agents, who fired multiple shots. The truck and wounded driver were later found at Thomason Hospital.