Machete-Wielding Man Arrested by Border Patrol Without Incident

Friday, February 08, 2008

El Paso, Texas – Border Patrol agents arrested a juvenile yesterday after he illegally entered the United States near Ysleta, Texas and proceeded to wave a machete at agents, threatening to kill them.

The 14-year-old male from Mexico was seen crossing the Rio Grande River from Mexico into the U.S. one mile east of the Ysleta port of entry. As the agent approached the subject to inquire about his immigration status, the individual pulled out a machete and made threatening gestures to the agent.

The agent was forced to draw his sidearm as the subject approached, but calmly instructed the subject to drop the weapon. The individual continued to threaten the agent both verbally and physically and swung the machete back and forth as the agent attempted to diffuse the situation. The individual then placed the blade against his own neck, claiming to have poison in his veins and asking the agent to shoot him.

Additional agents arrived on the scene to assist. After negotiating for more than 20 minutes, agents were able to convince the subject to drop both the machete and another knife that he was hiding, and placed him in custody.