US man fatally shot at border allegedly smuggled Chinese



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A 23-year-old American citizen killed during a shootout with officers at a border crossing in southern California reportedly attempted to smuggle two Chinese nationals into the United States, the customs and security services said on Wednesday. border protection.

San Diego police have identified the person killed during the shootout on Monday night at the San Ysidro entry port between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, under the name of Travis James Eckstein of Beaumont, California.

Officials said he drove his van from Mexico to the United States and failed to stop for an inspection, then pulled the vehicle, pulled the vehicle and fired at border services officers, who had shot and killed him. None of the seven CBP officers involved were injured.

Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that two Chinese, aged 18 to 27, were found "hidden in the subject's vehicle" and had no legal status to enter the United States. .

The San Diego police stated that they had been found at the back of the truck and had not been injured during the shooting.

"CBP officers risked their lives to protect the public from this gunman," Pete Flores, CBP Field Operations Director, said in a statement. "The smuggling of human beings is still dangerous, and this unfortunate incident demonstrates the total indifference of smuggling organizations to what they consider to be freight."

Authorities said CBP officers and San Diego rescue personnel tried to save lives, but Eckstein, who had been shot dead, died.

The video caught the sound of gunshots and officers taking shelter during Monday's incident. A witness told NBC San Diego that she was terrified and had jumped to the back of her vehicle to end up with her children in the car.

The port of entry of San Ysidro is the busiest in the Western Hemisphere, with about 70,000 vehicles treated northbound each day, according to the website of the Federal General Services Administration.

The San Diego police said she was continuing her investigations on the firing. Customs and Border Protection said it was also conducting an internal investigation.

The members of Eckstein's family could not be reached immediately on Wednesday night. Beaumont is a city of approximately 36,800 inhabitants east of Los Angeles.

Customs and border protection did not indicate in their statement Wednesday the fate of the two Chinese who were found after the shooting, and a request for comment was not immediately responded Wednesday night.

San Diego police said the Chinese men were interrogated and handed over to CBP agents.

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