By Steve Neavling
An FBI investigation found that Border Patrol agents acted in self-defense when they killed a Mexican citizen after he advanced toward them with “an edged weapon” in the processing area of the agency’s El Paso station on Tuesday.
The bureau said Thursday that Manuel Gonzalez-Moran, a 33-year-old with a criminal history, was initially detained by agents while holding a metal pipe, The Washington Examiner reports.
Agents took him into custody and discovered that he was deported to Mexico five months ago after serving 11 years in prison for assault with a deadly weapon.
At the station, Gonzalez-Moran “charged out of a holding cell” and “grabbed an edged weapon off a desk in the processing area,” the FBI said.
“Agents provided verbal commands and attempted to gain control by utilizing non-deadly force methods, specifically taser, which was unsuccessful,” the FBI statement continued. “Agents continued providing verbal commands, however, Moran continued to advance upon them with the edged weapon at which time he was shot by Agents.”
Agents shot Gonzalez-Moran twice. He was pronounced dead at the Del Sol Hospital.
