US patrol agent kills teenager at Mexican border crossing

Officials at the Mexican border crossing that divides Mexico and the USA are often harassed by illegal immigrants trying to get into the States.

Patrol agents found themselves under attack at the Mexican border crossing when a group of Mexicans started throwing rocks at them. A US agent opened fire to defend himself and his colleagues, which resulted in the death of a teenage boy. The agents believed the group to be illegal immigrants trying to cross into the USA.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon was outraged by the agent's actions, stating that 'using firearms to respond to an attack with rocks is a disproportionate use of force, particularly coming from officials that are specially trained.' The FBI is investigating the incident to determine if the agent used excessive force.

The mother of the boy is adamant that he was not trying to cross over the Mexican border crossing into the USA.

A witness to the attack claims the agent shot at the teenager twice, which gave him little chance to back down.

The body of the boy was found under a bridge linking Ciudad Juarez with El Paso on the Mexican side of the border crossing.

Rock attacks on US patrol agents are frequent at the Mexican border crossing, which can cause serious injuries. Mexico and the USA have been at loggerheads over the issue of illegal immigrants for some time. So far this year, 17 Mexicans have been killed or injured by US immigration authorities. Just last week, a Mexican migrant died after being subjected to electric shocks.

In the USA, officials hope to step up measures to stop illegal immigrants crossing the Mexican border as there are currently around 9 million Mexican illegal immigrants living in the USA.

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