On 27/1, U.S. border patrol agents stopped Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, for an administrative check on a road near Arivaca, Arizona. Agents suspected Schlegel of human smuggling. Schlegel fled and opened fire on federal agents and a Border Patrol helicopter involved in the pursuit.

Border patrol agents returned fire, injuring Schlegel. He was taken to a hospital and is recovering after surgery. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) requested the Pima County Sheriff's Department to conduct a full investigation into the shooting.

"Any assault on law enforcement will not be tolerated", emphasized FBI officer Heith Janke in Phoenix. "The FBI will continue to investigate suspects who threaten the safety of agents".

Police at the scene after the shootout in Arivaca, Arizona on 27/1. *Photo: Reuters*

Schlegel had previously been sentenced to three years in prison for human smuggling and illegal possession of weapons in 1/2024. By 12/2024, Schlegel was allowed to leave the Dismas Charities detention facility in Tucson for psychological counseling but did not return.

Schlegel is expected to be prosecuted on charges of assaulting a law enforcement officer, human smuggling, and illegal possession of weapons.

The shootout occurred in a desert area near Arivaca, about 16 km from the U.S.-Mexico border. This region is a known route for drug smugglers and those facilitating illegal border crossings, leading to frequent patrols by agents.

The Donald Trump administration recently increased border control with Mexico and conducted large-scale immigration enforcement operations in many cities, aiming to deport "as many as possible" undocumented immigrants.

By Ngoc Anh (based on WRAL, Reuters)