Border Patrol Kills Suspected Cartel Member After 'Struggle' on the Banks of the Rio Grande
A suspected drug smuggler was shot and killed along the Rio Grande in Starr County, Texas, on Thursday.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot the suspected cartel smuggler at about 5:30 p.m., according to Fox News.
Fox reported the agent involved as “OK.”
The Starr County Sheriff’s Office said it was “currently assisting U.S. Border Patrol with an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Midway near the riverbank,” the Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook.
“Starr County Deputies are securing the scene, while the Texas Rangers lead the investigation,” the post said.
🚨🇺🇸 BREAKING: BORDER SHOOTING ERUPTS IN TEXAS AS AGENTS CLASH NEAR RIO GRANDE
Chaos hit the border Thursday afternoon when U.S. Border Patrol agents opened fire during a violent struggle near the Rio Grande riverbank in Starr County, Texas, local officials confirmed.
The… pic.twitter.com/oeumVqNXza
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 12, 2025
Chris Olivarez, a representative of the Texas Department of Public Safety, confirmed the incident.
“The Texas Department of Public Safety can confirm that the Texas Rangers are investigating an officer-involved shooting involving the U.S. Border Patrol in Starr County,” he posted on X. “During the incident, one suspect was shot and later pronounced deceased at Starr County Memorial Hospital.”
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation. No further details are available at this time.”
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
The Texas Department of Public Safety can confirm that the Texas Rangers are investigating an officer-involved shooting involving the U.S. Border Patrol in Starr County.
During the incident, one suspect was shot and later pronounced deceased at Starr County…
— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) December 12, 2025
Starr County Judge Eloy Vera indicated the incident took place in Rio Grande City.
“There was a scuffle at the riverbank between Border Patrol and some suspects, and one of the suspects got shot, and he died in the hospital,” Vera said, according to valleycentral.com.
BREAKING: Per multiple border law enforcement sources, a U.S. Border Patrol agent shot & killed a suspected cartel smuggler after he came across the river & allegedly assaulted the agent in Starr County, TX, (Rio Grande Valley) this afternoon. I’m told it happened in Border…
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) December 12, 2025
The site reported that a fight began after smugglers moving drugs out of Mexico met Special Operations Detachment agents on the Texas side of the river.
During the fight, one agent fired his weapon.
The report said the person who died was in the U.S. illegally.
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