A Border Patrol agent shot and killed a 31-year-old Mexican citizen during a physical confrontation near the Rio Grande last week, according to federal officials. The deadly encounter occurred five miles west of the Rio Grande City Port of Entry on December 11.
The incident began when agents from a specialized U.S. Customs and Border Protection unit spotted several individuals wearing camouflage moving northward along the riverbank. When agents identified themselves just after 4 p.m., the group scattered and attempted to flee back toward Mexico.
One agent pursued and caught up with the 31-year-old, leading to a violent struggle. “At 4:18 p.m., the agent radioed for urgent help, reporting that he was in a fight with the man. After two minutes of fighting, the agent shot the man three times,” according to details provided by CBP.
Despite receiving immediate medical attention — including CPR and chest seals applied by agents at the scene — the man died approximately an hour later at Starr County Hospital. His name hasn’t been released pending autopsy results and formal identification.
Multiple Investigations Underway
As is standard procedure in fatal shootings involving federal agents, several parallel investigations have been launched. The Texas Rangers are leading the criminal investigation into the shooting itself, while CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducts a formal review of the incident.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General has also been notified of the death, following protocol for such cases.
What happens next? The investigations will likely examine whether the use of deadly force was justified under the circumstances and if proper procedures were followed during the confrontation.
This fatal shooting isn’t occurring in isolation. Civil-society organizations that track border enforcement activities have documented multiple deaths involving Border Patrol and CBP personnel during 2025, placing this incident within a broader pattern of fatal encounters along the southern border.
The location — just five miles from an official port of entry — highlights the ongoing tensions in the region, where Border Patrol agents regularly encounter individuals attempting to cross between designated entry points.
For now, officials have released only limited information about the man’s background or what may have prompted the physical altercation that ended with his death. The outcomes of the multiple investigations may eventually provide more clarity about the circumstances surrounding this deadly use of force.
