Man killed after firing at border patrol facility in McAllen, Texas

Law enforcement officials in McAllen, Texas, shot and killed a man after he opened fire with a rifle on a Border Patrol facility, the latest in increasing violent attacks on federal immigration and border agents.

McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez said local police responded to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s McAllen Station after reports of a shooting shortly before 6 a.m.

The shooter was identified as 27-year-old Ryan Louis Mosqueda, who was reported missing roughly two hours before the shooting.

Chief Rodriguez told reporters that Mr. Mosqueda fired “dozens of rounds” at the building, and border patrol agents in the building returned fire, killing the suspect.

“This morning, an individual opened fire at the entrance of the United States Border Patrol sector annex in McAllen, Texas,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. “Both Border Patrol agents and local police helped neutralize the shooter.”

DHS said two officers and a border patrol employee were injured and were transported to the hospital.

Chief Rodriguez said the motive was unclear.

Mr. Mosqueda had more ammunition and weaponry in his vehicle, which had Michigan license plates and was parked near the facility. His last known address was in Michigan.

“We have no reason to believe at this point in time that there are any more particular threats in this area,” he said.

The FBI is leading the investigation.

The border patrol facility is located across the street from McAllen International Airport, which was temporarily shut down after the shooting.

The shooting comes as the Trump administration makes an aggressive push to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and illegal drugs from crossing into the country along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The number of border crossings has plummeted, including in McAllen.

Democrats’ fierce rhetoric condemning Mr. Trump’s mass deportations has been blamed for an increasing number of violent attacks on federal immigration and border agents.

A couple in California was charged with playing a game of automotive chicken with ICE agents, and attempting to force them into an accident with a rash “brake-check.”

A man in North Carolina was charged with threatening to kill U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers over their role in deportations.

Democrats insist it is the Trump administration that’s gone too far in pursuing illegal immigrants.

“ICE is acting like a terrorist force,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Washington Democrat, said recently on social media. “People across the country of all legal statuses — including U.S. citizens — are being kidnapped and disappeared off the street by masked men.”

“No oversight, no accountability. Completely lawless,” she said.

Asked whether the administration wants Democrats to tone down the rhetoric, White House press secretary Karoline told reporters Monday that “we certainly call on Democrats to tone down their rhetoric against ICE and border patrol agents.”

Ms. Leavitt encouraged Democrats to meet with border patrol agents, saying they “are honorable Americans who are just simply trying to do their jobs to enforce the law.”