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Border Patrol releases video of deadly chase through Arizona desert

A Border Patrol agent can be seen breaking a car window and firing a gunshot into a vehicle. A U.S. citizen was killed.

TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Customs and Border Patrol have released body-worn camera footage of a chase through southern Arizona last month that resulted in the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen.

The incident occurred on March 14 after Border Patrol agents were notified via radio that a group of suspected undocumented migrants was seen entering a BMW about a mile north of Sasabe.

After observing the BMW pass along State Route 286, the agents attempted to stop the vehicle and a pursuit ensued.

Body-worn camera footage released this week shows how the pursuit came to an end. The agent can be seen running up to the BMW, smashing one of the car windows with a baton, and grabbing onto the driver. 

The vehicle appears to start moving in reverse before the agent draws their weapon and fires a shot into the car, striking the driver. Six occupants were traveling in the car, three of whom were inside the car's trunk. 

CBP said one of the occupants is a U.S. citizen and others are undocumented migrants.

The video can be seen here. Audio was notably not captured during a portion of the pursuit.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident. CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility is also reviewing the March 14 incident.

Officials have not released the identity of the deceased driver's identity, who was a U.S. citizen.

CBP began piloting and implementing a body-worn camera program for its employees in August 2021.

Credit: CBP
A screenshot of the body-worn camera footage of when the Border Patrol agent smashed the car's window.

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