(FOX 5/KUSI) — Three officers from Customs and Border Protection fired their weapons at a man who nearly struck officers while allegedly driving fast in an attempt to flee at a Southern California border crossing.
San Diego police said the shooting happened on Monday around 9 p.m. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, in southeastern San Diego.
The agency said a 59-year-old man was entering the United States from Mexico and was referred to a secondary inspection.
The man allegedly attempted to flee but was unable to leave the lot. He then drove south through the lot, nearly striking several CBP officers, three of whom fired their weapons.
SDPD Lieutenant Arturo Swadener said the suspect is a US citizen from Los Angeles and is now in custody likely facing federal charges.
“Several officers were screaming and yelling commands for him to stop, he failed to listen to those commands at which point the officers felt the need to fire, discharge their service weapons,” Lt. Swadener said.
The man eventually stopped and surrendered. Lt. Swadener said the suspect was not shot, but was injured by the broken windshield. He confirmed he is out of the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon, and in custody.
No CBP officers were injured, police said.
“Every year, there are incidents that occur that merit questions about whether use of force was warranted, and I think its a valuable question to ask as well as what security measures are in place to ensure the safety of everyone who is crossing that port of entry,” said Pedro Rios, the director of the American Friends Service Committee.
The committee is a group that advocates for migrants’ rights and the safety of the border and its crossings.
The three officers who fired their weapons have 22, 6 and 2 years of service at the agency, police said. San Diego Police and Homeland Security are investigating the case.
FOX 5/KUSI’s Zara Barker contributed to this story.
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