EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico is calling for “transparency” and an “impartial investigation” into a April 2 incident in which agents shot and killed a man after he led them on a nearly hourlong chase outside Las Cruces and then allegedly attacked an agent with a wooden club.
The release issued by Customs and Border Protection identified the driver killed as a U.S. citizen and “did not indicate if he had been suspected of any criminal or immigration-related violations other than circumventing a checkpoint,” according to a statement sent out by the ACLU of New Mexico.
According CBP, the fatal shooting is being investigated by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility and was referred to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
ACLU of New Mexico Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Sheff issued the following statement:
“It is critical that CBP provide the utmost transparency into the circumstances of this tragic death in New Mexico. That includes following through on promptly releasing body cam footage to allow the public to see for themselves the events leading up to this shooting. There also needs to be accountability for any agent misconduct identified over the course of the investigation. It’s what the victim of this shooting and his loved ones deserve, and what all New Mexicans expect from law enforcement officers in our state.”
