Border agents accused of shooting man who sought help with illegal immigrants on his property.

Native American Man Shot by Border Patrol Agents After Calling for Help with Illegal Immigrants on His Property

Details of the Incident

A member of the Tohono O’odham Tribe, Raymond Mattia, was shot multiple times by Border Patrol agents after calling for assistance in getting illegal immigrants out of his yard on Indian land in southern Arizona. The incident occurred last Thursday night, and it is not clear what initiated the shooting. Mattia’s family said he called agents from Customs and Border Protection station located in nearby Ajo, Arizona, after discovering people on his lawn in the village of Menegers Dam, which is located just a few miles north of the border. Once Border Patrol agents arrived, Mattia left his home to meet them, and shots were heard.

Family Outraged by the Shooting

Mattia’s family is outraged by the shooting, and a reported 38 shots were fired at him, which the family member who spoke to KVOA-TV said needs to be addressed. The family member also said, “You know that’s excessive, and we want justice and we want to know what happened and why there were so many Border Patrol out there shooting at him.”

Investigation Underway

Tohono O’odham police are investigating the shooting in collaboration with the FBI and the CPB’s Office of Professional Responsibility. The reservation stretches from the southern border to the south and extends across Maricopa, Pima, and Pima Counties. The area is home to about 9,500 people, according to the 2020 Census. Members of the tribe have historically opposed efforts to control its 62-mile-long barrier with Mexico, where about 2,000 Tohono O’odham live permanently and move back and forth from. In recent years, drug cartels have taken advantage of the reservation’s porous border with Mexico.

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