Suspect Slain, U.S. Agent Wounded in Border Shooting

A suspect was killed and a Border Patrol agent was shot five times but survived in an exchange of gunfire between police and suspected Mexican border bandits in the rugged canyons east of here, police said Sunday.

The shoot-out at 11:25 p.m. Saturday took place about one-half mile east of the port of entry and one-quarter mile north of the border fence, San Diego Police Officer Sherry Edwards said.

Preying on Illegals

Two Border Patrol agents and one San Diego police officer, members of the combined Border Crimes Prevention Unit, exchanged shots with three suspected bandits thought to be preying on illegal aliens crossing into the United States, Edwards said.

Border Patrol supervisory agent Fred Stevens was wounded but his two companions escaped injury. One gunman was killed, another was captured and a third escaped into Mexico, police said.

Police recovered a .357 Magnum revolver near the dead man’s body and a .22-caliber revolver was taken from the suspect who was arrested.

Stevens, 39, was saved by his bullet-proof vest, said Border Patrol spokesman Gene Smithburg. The spokesman said that Stevens, an eight-year veteran, was hit twice in the chest with bullets fired from a .357 Magnum but the rounds were stopped by the vest. Stevens was also hit in the left wrist, hip and groin, Smithburg said.

A spokeswoman at the University of California, San Diego, Medical Center said that Stevens was in good condition.

The dead man was identified by the coroner’s office as Julio Arroyo Zaragoza, 33, of Mexico City. A coroner’s spokesman said Zaragoza died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

Taken to Jail

The captured suspect was taken to county jail and identified as Jaime Arroyo Zaragoza, 18, of Tijuana. Police said they did not know if the suspects are related.

Smithburg said the combined border task force has been involved in eight shoot-outs with suspected bandits since Jan. 1. Five suspects have died in the shoot-outs and three Border Patrol agents have been wounded.

Border Patrol and police accounts of Saturday night’s shooting said Stevens, Agent John Crocitto and Officer Cesar Solis spotted three men on top of a ridge acting suspiciously. The officers walked toward the suspects and Jaime Arroyo approached Solis, talking to him in Spanish. When Arroyo saw that Solis was a policeman, he began running toward Mexico.

Firing From Bushes

The three Americans chased and caught up with Arroyo, who “resisted violently,” police said. While Solis and Crocitto were handcuffing Arroyo, Stevens, who had his service revolver drawn, was providing cover.

Suddenly, two men leaped from the bushes and began firing at the Americans from about six feet away, police said. Stevens was hit almost immediately but returned fire, as did Solis and Crocitto.

In the confusion the third suspect escaped into Mexico, police said.