30 to 60 shots fired during ‘active shooter incident’ at McAllen Border Patrol station
McALLEN — Police here on Monday afternoon said 30 to 60 shots were reported by callers alerting law enforcement to an active shooter situation at the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector Annex near the McAllen International Airport.
In an afternoon press release, police said the calls began at 5:54 a.m. when 27-year-old Ryan Louis Mosqueda, of Michigan, was spotted walking in front of the Border Patrol station, wearing a mask and firing shots from an assault rifle.
At 5:56 a.m., a caller reported that a “male is shooting in at the door …lots of shots fired.”
A minute later, it was reported that a McAllen police officer may have been shot.
One minute before 6 a.m., responding officers reported “one shooter down.”
That is a summary of the scene that unfolded in McAllen Monday morning. Several hours later, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that the situation was “an active shooter incident.”
“Early this morning, an active shooter incident occurred at Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector Annex. The suspect is deceased. The incident is still under investigation. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available,” CBP said.
At a press conference later that morning, McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez confirmed that Mosqueda was killed. In the afternoon update, McAllen police said that he was shot by Border Patrol agents who returned fire, killing him in front of the station.
Rodriguez said Monday morning that they received the call at about 5:50 a.m. regarding Mosqueda firing multiple rounds at the station.
A McAllen police officer named Ismael Garcia was hit in the knee, but authorities are unsure if he was shot by the suspect, hit by friendly fire or hit from shrapnel, Rodriguez said.
On Monday afternoon, police said Garcia had been shot and underwent treatment.
Garcia has been with the department for 10 years. He is currently being treated at a local hospital.
He was the only officer injured. There were no other injuries, Rodriguez said.
At 4 a.m. that morning, Mosqueda had been reported missing from a Weslaco residence.
An hour or so later, he was opening fire at the federal building and agents.
Authorities found multiple rounds of ammunition and firearms in the vehicle Mosqueda arrived in. The chief said the man was also wearing body armor. Rodriguez didn’t confirm if the vehicle belonged to Mosqueda but did say he arrived in it.
Additional details include writing spray painted on the suspect’s vehicle in what Rodriguez described as “Latin.”
A photograph of the man’s vehicle being towed away showed the words “Cordis DIE” written in spray paint.
“We don’t understand it, I don’t understand it that is,” Rodriguez said. “It may be Latin but I do not know what it is.”
The chief added that he’s not sure if the writings have any connection to Mosqueda’s motives.
Rodriguez said the shooting was premeditated.
The FBI is taking lead on the investigation and a motive is not immediately clear.
Early Monday morning, the city announced that all flights at the McAllen International Airport were delayed.
“Due to off-airport safety concerns, vehicles and passengers will not be permitted to enter the terminal or parking lot. Access will remain restricted until further notice,” the city said.
The airport resumed operations at 10:40 a.m.
Editor’s note: This story’s headline and copy has been updated with new information from the McAllen Police Department.
To see more, view staff photographer Delcia Lopez’s full photo gallery here:
Photo Gallery: Active shooting incident at McAllen Border Patrol station ends with suspect killed
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