Two ICE agents shot while driving between Mexico City and Monterrey

Here is the official statement from ICE, issued on Feb. 15:

"Earlier this afternoon, two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents assigned to the ICE Attaché office in Mexico City were shot in the line of duty while driving between Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico, by unknown assailants. ICE is working with the U.S. State Department, Mexican authorities and other U.S. law enforcement partners to investigate the shooting. Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues."

News reports on their websites and Twitter had little to add. One agent was reportedly critically wounded, and the other seriously wounded. One of the two agents was also said to be from Brownsville.

I got several questions from readers on my Facebook Fan Page asking what ICE agents are doing in Mexico. Here's some info from the State Department on the Attaché Office's mission there:

"The major goals of the ICE Attaché Mexico City MLS are sharing with the Mexican law enforcement and prosecutorial communities methods utilized by money launderers, supporting money laundering investigations that originate in the U.S. with Mexican nexus, and providing reciprocal support to the Mexican Government in their financial investigations. Additionally, it is a goal of the ICE Attaché Mexico City to assist Mexican law enforcement in developing more comprehensive investigative and preventive strategies by conducting increasingly complex joint investigations. To address the threat of money laundering activities between the U.S. and Mexico, the ICE Attaché Mexico City established the Money Laundering Section (MLS), comprised of ICE Attaché personnel. The ICE Attaché Mexico City has successfully conducted high profile money laundering investigations resulting in the dismantling of large criminal organizations, which utilized sophisticated methods to hide the source of their illicit funds.

"To further enhance the MLS, the ICE Mexico Money Laundering Vetted Unit (MLVU) was created in 2002. The MLVU is comprised of 34 vetted Mexican law enforcement officials and five prosecutors, who are assigned to the Agencia Federal de Investigaciones (AFI). The officers of the MLVU work in conjunction with ICE Attaché personnel to assist in conducting money laundering and other financial crime investigations, assist in obtaining provisional arrest and search warrants, and developing leads.

"The ICE Attaché Mexico City also conducts significant investigations of “Politically Exposed Persons” (PEP) and Money Remitters (Casas de Cambios). PEP cases are focused on public corruption in Mexico and the use of the U.S. financial institutions to hide the illicit proceeds of cime. The Money Remitter cases involve investigations of businesses and individuals that frequently use money exchange mechanisms to serve as alternatives to the official banking system. Casas de Cambio provide currency conversion, exchanges and money movement services for a fee. Since these businesses are numerous and more lightly regulated than banks, these exchange houses are often utilized by large-scale criminal organizations, including terrorists, to launder large amounts of currency throughout the world. The ICE Attaché Mexico City is addressing these threats by developing proactive strategies and providing investigative leads to the ICE domestic offices."

Analysis: I normally don't do "breaking news" type posts on my blog, but this event is pretty significant because it's not every day that US law enforcement agents get shot in Mexico. There are too many unanswered questions right now for me to do anything other than speculate, and I have more questions than answers right now.

The biggest question is, of course, were the two agents specifically targeted, or were they just an opportunity? The two missionaries who were shot at - and the wife killed - north of San Fernando a couple of weeks ago were shot at by DTO thugs because they wanted the Davises' truck. The agents were driving a black Chevy Suburban with US diplomatic plates; these are pretty high up on the DTO "most wanted" list for SUVs. I'm hoping that's the case, because if these agents were targeted by DTOs in Kiki Camarena style, then we have a big problem.

There's a first time for everything, but I don't think DTOs have made the VERY courageous leap yet to start picking off US law enforcement working in-country. Second, I don't think they'd start with two ICE agents if they really wanted to send a message. Third, they would have had to know that those agents would be on that road in that vehicle at that time. While US diplomatic facilities in Mexico have been infiltrated by DTOs before, the chances of someone working their way inside enough to get that info isn't likely. However, it is possible that, if the agents were meeting with Mexican counterparts, DTOs could have gotten the agents' itinerary through those counterparts. Still, an unlikely scenario.

I am concerned by some updated information from the LA Times that the agents were caught up in a road blockade set up by narcos about a third of the way to Monterrey. If this is true, then the narcos definitely would have taken notice of the diplomatic plates. For them to pursue and fire at two individuals riding in a consular vehicle is profoundly disturbing...again, it that is, in fact, what happened.

The next major question becomes, what is the US government's response going to be? For all intents and purposes, I think it's going to be minimal and inadequate. Of course they'll do everything they can to investigate, but they'll probably never find out who the shooters were, less who they were working for (if anyone). The Mexican authorities may do a bit more than they did in the David Hartley case because it was two US law enforcement agents who were shot and not "civilians," but they have their own problems...like staying alive.

My heart goes out to the families of these two agents, especially the family of the agent who died from his wounds. I pray the other will fully recover from his injuries. I'll try to keep my readers updated as best I can on this situation.

UPDATE 2/16 at 0815: I'm starting to see several media reports that the SUV the agents were in was boxed in and run off the road by armed members of Los Zetas, just outside their stronghold of San Luis Potosí. I don't know yet if they were shot while still in the vehicle, or were forced out and then shot. I also don't know how they got away, or if the Zetas just left them there afterwards. One of the two agents - presumably Jaime Zapata, the agent who later died - was medevac'd by helicopter to Mexico City, so someone was able to call for help.

Here's an image of the SUV they were driving:

Some observers have asked the very good question, why were these agents driving from the DF to Monterrey instead of flying? For those of you not familiar with Mexico's geography, Monterrey is a good 11-hour drive north of Mexico City, and involves the use of two highways - Mexico's route 57 and route 85. Route 57 has been the site of roadblocks and narco attacks before.

I originally said I didn't believe these agents were intentionally targeted, but were more of an opportunistic find for their attackers. As information about the attack trickles in, I may be changing my assessment. We know Los Zetas are probably the most violent and the most brazen of all the DTOs operating in Mexico right now, so I'd pick them to be the first to try killing US law enforcement agents on purpose. There are still too many plausible scenarios to choose from right now, so more wait-and-see is in order.

UPDATE 2/15 at 1001: I'm taking a closer look at the Chevy Suburban the ICE agents were driving, and I'd bet a lot of money that's an armored vehicle. It looks pretty clean on the outside from the photos published on the El Paso Times site, and the driver's side window is up (many armored vehicles are made so the front windows can be rolled down up to seven inches). So how do you shoot two US agents who are riding in a "hard car"? The photos only show the driver's side, but there aren't any glaring scratches on the outside that would indicate random firing at the SUV.

This might indicate the agents were shot while sitting inside the Suburban. What would have convinced them to either roll down the window or open the door? I don't know what level of protection their SUV had because the level of armoring is tailored. If the checkpoint looked official enough, the attackers may have been asked by convincingly disguised Zetas to show identification. However, this conflicts with media reports that they were boxed in, then run off the road. If that's true, how did the actual shooting occur, and why were they left alive (at the time) by the Zetas? If they were intentionally targeted because they were ICE agents, then both would have been either kidnapped or executed on the spot, in my opinion. Perhaps the attackers shot first and asked questions later, then panicked when they saw who their catch of the day was.

It's highly likely the Zetas just wanted the SUV; after all, nothing screams NARCO in Mexico more than a black armored SUV. But if they wanted the car that badly, why didn't the attackers drive it away after shooting the agents? Perhaps they saw the plates at that point and didn't want to mess with a stolen hard car belonging to the US government. Or, they just wanted to get out of an ugly situation quickly and left the bleeding agents and their prized SUV behind. The more answers I get, the more questions I have...

Comments

[ovemex]

it has been said they were driving a vehicle with diplomatic plates, apparently they were followed, blocked in, and then ran off the road.

Driver is said to have died after being evacuated. Second agent is stable.

[Fred Hiker]

Well if we are to believe Narco News and Bill Conroy’s account which is based on ‘’ a law enforcement source with inside knowledge of the attack’’ the agents were then specifically targeted. Certainly if that were in fact to be the case it would come as no surprise for me, and in fact surprised only in that it hadn’t already happened much soon. Here’s why: There are no lines any more. Lines which SAC/ELP themselves had a hand in erasing several years ago during their ‘’Lalo’’ days. No one held accountable then, just as no one will be held accountable now concerning the ATF and the death of the Patrol Agent in AZ. Can I hear a ‘lets clean up are own act’ instead of slipping deeper into that which we are supposed to stand against?

Fred

[DB]

Perhaps they were run off the road and a higher caliber weapon was fired repeatedly at the windshield. I don't think the windshield glass, even when armored, can resist a repeated barrage of higher caliber bullets, like those of an AK47.

[Ike]

It's time to get our people out of Mexico, and close the border. Mexico is out of control, but it's not up to the United States to police the whole world. The United States could and should effectively close the border to control everything that moves North or South. This will put a big dent in drug smuggling, illegal migration, and eliminate the so-called "Iron River of Guns" flowing South - which may only be an "Iron Trickle of Guns" - regardless of ATF propaganda. Mexico needs to step up and control her own border - to supplement our own control. Let's get a legal "guest worker" program going and control the migration problem.

[LG]

by what i read on other pages was that the passanger cracked his window and the Ahole put his handgun thru the cracked window to open fire also on some pics u can c damage to the right side of the veichle where shots where fired but did not penetrate the veihcle so in my opinion i think the agent cracked his window when they where barricaded

[P]

Sylvia ...

the real "facts" keep creeping out slowly. The media is now reporting that the ICE agents were intercepted while traveling SOUTH towards Mexico City, after leaving Monterrey. The media is also saying that the ICE agents identified themselves to their cartel attackers as representatives of the US government - which must mean that they had one window rolled down in their vehicle. That could explain how they were shot.

It is unclear if the ICE agents were targeted just because they were driving a vehicle that is attractive to drug smugglers (Chevy Suburbans are a prime target, and I would guess that hardened vehicles are even more attractive to carjackers). Or instead, were the Zeta's actually following the movements of the ICE agents and intercepting them for some reason? But it seems like it would be difficult for someone to know exactly who is in a hardened SUV with tinted windows - until the vehicle was forced off the highway and the occupants identified.

On the positive side - one ICE agent survived and has been released from hospital. So the authorities on our side know a LOT more details about this incident than they are telling us.

The real issue is WHY Mexico does not legally allow US law enforcement personnel to carry guns to defend themselves while traveling on the roads. Especially in northern Mexico - which is a free for all.

I can't imagine how any Americans would be driving on those roads and not have the option to defend themselves with firearms. It doesn't make any sense.

Calderon needs to take a reality pill and pass a law to allow legal gun ownership in Mexico. There is no other solution.

P.

[Jo MacMahaan]

Article in the San Antonio Express News today.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Agentbattledwith-hiskillers-1017191.php

[P]

Jo ... thanks for the news link above. That helps to explain a lot.

Agent Jaime Zapata was a real hero - for the way he responded after the Zeta's started shooting into his vehicle. Think about the physcial and psychological shock involved when a criminal fires an AK-47 into the cab of a closed vehicle. The shock must be immense. It took incredible determination and courage by Zapata to get that vehicle back in gear and driving up the road - after fatal rounds were fired into his body. That action probably saved his partner's life.

I notice that a major screw-up was caused by the automatic door locks on the Chevy Suburban. The door locks apparently opened by themselves after the vehicle was stopped and put in park. That allowed the gangsters to pull open the doors and start dragging Zapata out of the SUV.

I mention this issue because my family drives a Japanese SUV and that vehicle also has idiotic things that happen with the door locks. Sometimes the locks close when you don't want them to. Sometimes they stay locked when you expect them to open. These new electronic systems in these cars are designed by idiots. It can actually create a major safety hazard if you are a victim of crime.

It appears that the Zeta's have provided an answer to a question that Sylvia asked earlier on this blog. Is Mexico experiencing a "war". The answer is YES according to the Zeta's, regardless of what Calderon may think (or call it). The Zeta's seem to be believe they can kill anyone with impunity.

My prayers for Mr. Zapata's family and colleagues.

P.

[P]

One additional follow-up to my earlier comment above.

I asked around to find out why the door locks on a Chevy Suburban would automatically unlock when you put the vehicle in park. It turns out that the feature was added to protect drivers who had health problems. There were some incidents where older drivers pulled their SUV over to the side of the road because they were having a heart attack. Once the driver was incapacitated, they were locked inside their SUV and it was impossible for outside rescuers to get to them. So the door lock design was modified so that the locks would automatically OPEN if the vehicle was brought to a stop and put into PARK.

The problem is - this design feature is highly dangerous if the driver is facing a criminal attack from outside the vehicle, instead of a health problem.

The moral is: If you are driving in unsafe surroundings where criminal activity is present, make sure your door locks are set to manual operation ONLY.

P.

[Will]

What I dont understand, and what we are probably not being told, is why were these agents taking such a long drive when they should have been flying? They know the violence in Mexico and of the fake road blocks. These agents know they can not be armed in Mexico, which by the way is ridiculous, yet they are traveling in Mexico without an escort. Am I not catching this, or is something just not right???