Border Control Agent Killed by Friendly Fire?

[HairOfTheDog]

This story is sad and puzzling.

US Border Control Agent, Nicholas Ivie, and two other border control officers responded to a tripped ground sensor on Tuesday, Oct. 2^nd. Agent Ivie was on horseback patrol. He ended up being shot to death. Another agent, unidentified thus far, was shot and airlifted to the hospital – his injuries are not life threatening. No identification or information has been released about the third responder.

After initially considering an illegal immigrant most likely responsible, the FBI investigation announced yesterday that that the death and injuries were most likely a result of “friendly fire”. The only shell casings found at the scene were those of the border control agents. Very little information is available with the FBI citing that the investigation is pending.

I did a little research. There are three different agencies that work border control in the Arizona desert. They all wear uniforms. I could find no information in the media as to whether the three agents involved worked for the same agency or whether they responded to the tripped ground sensor together or separately. Regardless, hard to understand how two uniformed agents wound up being shot by friendly fire.

Looking forward to learning more about this incident and curious as to if/how Romney will use the Fast & Furious fiasco and this recent incident when the topic of illegal immigration and border control is addressed at the next debates.

Agent Ivie was married with two children. RIP. He is the 14^th border control officer killed since 2008.

Refs:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/natio...9299.story

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/05/world/amer...index.html

[Carsman]

Being killed by "friendly fire" in the turmoil of heated battle with enemy forces could possibly be somewhat understandable, but of course not acceptable.
However, to be killed on "border patrol" by "friendly fire", is not understandable, and of course unacceptable. Yes, I was not there, but it seems heads should roll as a major screw up occurred.

[Maggot]

With all the modern technology out there I can only blame polititians for not having the backbone thats needed along the border.

[OnBendedKnee]

With all the modern technology out there I can only blame polititians for not having the backbone thats needed along the border.

A fence made from the backbones of dead illegal aliens.

That just might work.

[HairOfTheDog]

With all the modern technology out there I can only blame polititians for not having the backbone thats needed along the border.

After a meeting of border governors Friday in Albuquerque, N.M., Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer stood by the criticism she leveled earlier this week in response to the shooting in which she said a political stalemate and the federal government's failures have left the border unsecured and Border Patrol agents in harm's way.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national...-1.1176365
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Update: Apparently, all three agents were on horse-back patrol and responded separately to the tripped sensor. They communicated before responding, but it's not clear why they didn't communicate at the scene, in the dark desert. They mistakenly shot at each other. State and federal officials have rescinded initial assumptions that the shootings were carried out by armed criminals.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/...order?lite

[HairOfTheDog]

Agent Ivie - funeral is being held today.


The head of the U.S. Border Patrol agents’ union says the agent killed last week (Ivie) in a shooting in southern Arizona apparently opened fire on two colleagues thinking they were armed smugglers and was killed when they returned fire.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/55040...a.html.csp

The sequence of shooting has not yet been confirmed by the FBI.

The two men arrested in Mexico on suspicioun of being involved were released.

[Maggot]

YIKES! Moe, Larry, .........the cheese!