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USBP Agent Avoids Federal Charges in Fatal Shooting
The Justice Department has closed its investigation into the death of 17-year-old Ramses Barron-Torres, a Mexican national who was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Nogales, Arizona, on January 5, 2011.
According to officials, the agent fired a round at Barron-Torres after he and several others began throwing rocks at the agent and his partner, who were on the U.S. side of the border fence.
A videotape of the incident captured Barron-Torres throwing rocks at the agents, who were forced to take cover to protect themselves.
The investigation, which was led by the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, found that the agent acted in self-defense.
The agent, whose name was not released, will face no federal criminal charges in connection with the shooting.
The investigation was extensive, involving hundreds of pages of evidence and numerous witness accounts.
While the loss of life is regrettable, the facts of this case do not support a federal prosecution.
The agent’s use of force was deemed to be justified, as he was in danger from the rocks being thrown at him and his partner.
Barron-Torres was on the Mexico side of the border fence when he was shot, and the federal criminal civil rights statute does not apply in this case, as the victim was not in the United States at the time of the incident.
The agent was acting within the Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States when he fired upon Barron-Torres, but there is insufficient evidence to disprove the agent’s claim that he shot Barron-Torres in self-defense.
The investigation into this incident has been closed, and the agent will face no further action in connection with the fatal shooting.
Barron-Torres’ family has been informed of the decision, and officials from the Justice Department and other agencies met with the family to explain the findings of the investigation.
Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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