1 Killed, 3 Hurt in Gun Battle Along Border

One man was killed and three others were wounded by U.S. authorities in a gun battle with suspected border bandits, police said Tuesday.

The shooting occurred about 9:17 p.m. Monday, as five uniformed officers of the Border Crime Prevention Unit were walking along a fence about half a mile west of the San Ysidro port of entry.

The Border Crime Prevention Unit is made up of Border Patrol agents and San Diego police officers who patrol the valleys and canyons near the Mexican border, where bandits prey on illegal aliens crossing into the United States.

Police said the officers had just watched 25 to 30 illegal aliens go through a hole in the fence when they were approached by five men coming over the top of a levee.

The five encircled the officers, and one of them drew a revolver from his waistband, police said.

In response, the three border agents and two San Diego police officers opened fire on the suspects. Three of the suspects fled after being wounded but were captured a short distance away. The man who drew the gun died at the scene. The fifth suspect escaped into Mexico, police said.

The dead man was not immediately identified. The three wounded suspects were taken to UC San Diego Medical Center where two, Enrique Estrada, 27, and Rafael Navarro, 31, were reported in fair condition after surgery.

The third suspect, Jose Manuel Villa-Luna, 23, was treated at the hospital and released to homicide detectives.

All three are in custody on suspicion of attempted robbery.