Posted on 06/14/2002 5:12:11 PM PDT by Shermy
SAN DIEGO -- Eight illegal immigrants were wounded when a sport utility vehicle carrying 23 people was fired upon in a remote desert wash in northern Mexico and again after it had crossed over the border into the United States, authorities said Friday.
Officials in Mexico and the United States are investigating a claim by at least one of the victims that it may have been a Mexican military unit that fired on the SUV in Mexico, said Sgt. Manuel Garcia of the Imperial County Sheriff's Department.
The immigrants from Mexico and Central America were attempting to cross illegally into the United States when their Chevrolet Suburban was struck with bullets from what appeared to be a large-caliber weapon about 12:30 a.m. Friday, Garcia said.
Border Patrol agents came across the immigrants shortly after the shooting on a dirt road about 75 yards north of the international boundary in the desert about 100 miles east of San Diego.
"They were in a panic," Garcia said. "Thank God the Border Patrol was so close."
Three of the immigrants remained hospitalized Friday afternoon, including two who had been taken by helicopter to San Diego because of the severity of their injuries, said Border Patrol Agent Dionicio Delgado. They were listed in stable condition, he said.
All of those injured were men. Among those inside the van were six women and one young child.
The immigrants told authorities they came upon a second vehicle that at least one of them said may have been a Jeep or Humvee military-style vehicle, Garcia said.
Both vehicles had their headlights off when they first encountered each other in a desert wash on the Mexican side of the border. The immigrants sped off when the headlights in the second vehicle suddenly came on. A short lime later, they were hit with the first burst of gunfire.
It appears that the immigrants were fired upon again after they had crossed into the United States. But by analyzing tire tracks, authorities determined that the second vehicle did not cross the border, Garcia said.
U.S. authorities have contacted the Mexican attorney general's office to request assistance with the investigation, he said.
The Mexican Consulate in the Imperial Valley did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Raul Ramirez Baena, the human rights ombudsman for the border state of Baja California, Mexico, said his agency had received a report that the Mexican Army was involved in the shooting and investigators planned to interview the victims when they returned to Mexico.
Given the circumstances, I see no need for an investigation..
Same goes for ports, the canadian border.. all of it.
The British had a saying about the Yanks in Britain during WW2:
"They're over-paid, over-sexed, and over here".
And we were invited.
In High School, we once got 18 into a '74 Impala...and we were all well-fed, and not particularly desperate to get where we were going...
When you think about it, the ONLY countries based upon the rule of law, personal responsibility and respect for the rights of the individual are the Anglo-Saxon countries. As much as the Brits can get on your nerves these days, the world does owe them big time for making the king sign the Magna Carta way back in the day...
I myself am OFTEN tempted to fire upon Stupid Useless Vehicles. Especially when driven by cellphone-yacking soccer moms. Only the lack of large caliber automatic weapons prevents me.
Apparently they all stopped for a Corona before continuing their skirmish. It's a Mexican thing, like the siesta.
EBUCK
EBUCK
Exactly right. Dominant religion...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.