Contributed Article/Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection
CASA GRANDE – Monday afternoon, an individual driving a 2014 Ford Taurus fired shots at U.S. Border Patrol agents at an immigration checkpoint south of Casa Grande.
At approximately 2:40 p.m., the vehicle failed to yield to Tucson Sector agents working the immigration checkpoint at mile marker 26 on Federal Route 15. Gunshots were fired from the vehicle as it led agents on a high-speed chase toward Interstate 10.
With the aid of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and Arizona Department of Public Safety, the vehicle was stopped on I-10 near Casa Grande. No further shots were fired, and no injuries were reported at the scene.
“This situation is a stark reminder of the extreme danger law enforcement faces and how important it is we partner together to keep communities safe,” stated Tucson Sector Border Patrol Chief Roy Villareal. “I want to thank the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and Arizona DPS for their assistance. This pursuit put many lives at risk. With our partners’ help, it ended safely.”
This was the sixth assault on a Tucson Sector Border Patrol agent since Oct. 1, 2019.
The U.S. citizen driver was arrested for human smuggling and can still face additional charges related to this incident. The two Mexican nationals discovered in the vehicle’s trunk face charges for immigration violations.
The incident remains under investigation by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.
