By Steve Neavling
A suspected human smuggler is accused of shooting a Border Patrol agent twice in the chest during a traffic stop in New Mexico.
The unidentified agent was protected by body armor and fired back at the suspect, Roberto Esquivel, KRQE reports.
The encounter occurred on New Mexico Highway 146 near Animas on Jan. 5, when the agent pulled over Esquivel for suspicious behavior.
Five other people in the car admitted they were from Mexico and weren’t properly documented.
The encounter turned violent when the agent asked Esquivel to step out of the vehicle. Esquivel shot the agent twice in the chest before the agent fired back.
Esquivel sped off but crashed his car a few miles down the road.
Six people were arrested, and two were being treated at a hospital in El Paso.
Esquivel allegedly admitted during an interview that he was driving the migrants to Deming for $300 per person.
Esquivel is facing four charges, including attempted murder of a U.S. officer.
