What Migrant Advocates are Saying About Soldier Shooting Man in Mexico
On Saturday, a National Guardsman fired a shot. The Texas Military Department admits that much.
But, the question is…was the victim on the U.S. side or the Mexican side when he was shot?
“A National Guard service member assigned to Operation Lone Star discharged a weapon in a border-related incident”, the statement from the TMD said.
“The incident is under investigation”.
The victim, identified as Darwin Jose Garcia by Mexican authorities was shot in his left leg. He was treated by Mexican paramedics and transported to a hospital in Juarez.
The FBI says that the Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting.
No one has given further details yet about the circumstances around the shooting.
Nor have they addressed whether:
a.) The round the guardsman fired was what hit Garcia and,
b.) Which side of the border Garcia was on when he received the wound.
Some critics of Governor Abbott’s Operation Lone Star say this is the kind of thing they worried about.
Sen. Cesar Blanco (D) called it “an escalation” and said, “we are not at war with Mexico”.
Las Americas Advocacy Center are calling for an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.
A spokesman for Las Americas says, “Abbott has repeatedly lied about immigrants invading our country, continues to tear families seeking safety apart…and dehumanizes them to boot”.
The Border Network for Human Rights has, somehow, already come up with a “he was just minding his own business” scenario for the injured Mexican man.
He was, “practicing sports near the border”, the BNHR said in a statement.
“A group of migrants (were) crossing the border” nearby but our guy was just “practicing sports”, the group said.