An American hiker was shot by “alleged cartel members” who crossed the border from Tecate.
The incident occurred while the man was hiking in a wilderness area near the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego County, Border Patrol officials from the El Centro sector declared on social media.
A source said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News that two alleged cartel members were armed with guns in the Jacumba area of San Diego when they confronted two hikers and began yelling at them in Spanish.
According to media reports, the American was shot twice in the leg and was taken by helicopter by Border Patrol agents, then transported to a nearby plane that took him to a hospital for treatment.
It is not clear at this time whether the shooting is being investigated as a “terrorist act,” though authorities described the suspects as “terrorists,” likely referencing President Donald Trump’s executive order labeling cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
Law enforcement authorities from the El Centro sector declared the following:
“We will not sit back and do nothing. The safety of our citizens is not negotiable, cartel terrorists have no place in our country taking advantage of the innocent. Enough is enough.
The hikers believed the gunmen wanted to kidnap them, so they ignored them, however, they were attacked moments later.
So far, no further information has been given regarding the identity of the injured man, but it is expected that more information will be given about what happened in the next few hours.
Source: San Diego Red
