Bandits shot hundreds of rounds of automatic gun fire at Hidalgo County Sheriff’s deputies and Border Patrol agents Wednesday from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande.The deputies were responding to a call from two brothers who swam across the river after an initial gunfight at a ranch in Mexico, Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño said. Treviño would not identify the two brothers, but said the two U.S. citizens are suspects in other criminal investigations.
The two brothers called 911 around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday and told the operator that they were near the Brewster Ranch south of Donna. They say an unknown number of gunmen burst into their family ranch in Mexico and killed a ranch hand. The two brothers escaped, but the kidnappers took their father, Treviño said. The brothers made it across the Rio Grande and called 911.
At least three deputies and four Border Patrol agents took the two brothers back to the riverbank to see if they might find any evidence or the shooters. Instead, shooters from Mexico fired automatic weapons at the group. The barrage went on for almost 10 minutes, alternating between shots coming from Mexico and the east.
Treviño believes that the shots from the east were most likely on American soil. The heaviest gunfire came after the shots from the east ended, most likely an attempt to divert attention and allow the shooters from the east to cross back.
Border Patrol officials did not respond to phone calls last night.
Treviño plans to search for evidence tomorrow at the sight of the shooting, south of Valley View Road and Military Highway. If authorities find weapons or casings that can be traced, they might be able to charge someone with attempted capital murder of the agents, deputies and two brothers, Treviño said.
Treviño says that his deputies have never been shot at from the Mexican side of the river. "This is one of the reasons that I do not allow my deputies to patrol the riverbanks or levies close to the river," Treviño said, "because we do know there are drug gangs and human trafficking gangs that will not hesitate to shoot in our direction to get us out of the area."