(The Center Square) – A retired U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was killed in yet another shooting of an immigration agent in Texas.
This is the fourth shooting this year in Texas where a CBP or Border Patrol agent has been fired upon and the second in a border community, The Center Square reported.
Close to midnight on Saturday night, local police, sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Border Patrol officers responded to a shooting incident at the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass, Texas.
The suspected gunman fled the scene and was later arrested in Wilson County roughly 12 hours later, after a coordinated response by Texas Department of Public Safety, Border Patrol, Kickapoo Tribal Police and the Eagle Pass Police Department, the EPPD said.
DPS troopers tracked the suspect using license plate readers and attempted to make a traffic stop at the Circle K in Stockdale, Texas, east of San Antonio in Wilson County. The suspect didn’t stop and fled with DPS troopers following in pursuit. They discharged their firearms in an attempt to stop the suspect’s vehicle, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office said.
“With a partially disabled vehicle the suspect continued to flee as DPS troopers joined by deputies from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office pursued him on SH 123 and then Eastbound onto FM 1347. The suspect was successfully taken into custody in the 10000 block of FM 1347 after a successful PIT maneuver and Taser deployment,” the sheriff’s office said.
Troopers also recovered a weapon. No troopers were harmed, the EPPD said.
Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber later identified the suspect as 34-year-old Keyran Jones from San Antonio. Jones was charged with two counts of capital murder and five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, he said at a press conference.
The casino, located roughly 150 miles southwest of San Antonio, is run by the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas (KTTT). The KTTT is one of three federally recognized Tribes of Kickapoo people. Its 1,134 enrolled members live on a reservation located just south of Eagle Pass, as part of the Rosita Valley community, in western Maverick County.
“We are heartbroken about the violence that occurred at the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino,” the KTTT said. It confirmed two individuals were killed and five were injured who were transferred to medical facilities in Eagle Pass and San Antonio.
Local officials confirmed two dead.
Eagle Pass Mayor Aaron Valdez confirmed that Marcus “Mark” Antley, “a beloved community member and retired U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent,” was killed.
“Mr. Antley dedicated much of his life to public service and law enforcement. He will be remembered not only for his career but also for his generosity, leadership, and the lasting friendships he built throughout Eagle Pass and the region. His passing leaves a deep void in the hearts of many,” Valdez said. He also offered condolences for other victims saying, “We stand united in prayer with their families, asking God to bring healing, strength, and comfort during this painful time.”
Dimmit County Judge Martha Alicia Gomez Ponce confirmed a Dimmitt County resident was killed without naming the deceased. She asked the community “to keep the families of those affected by this tragedy in their thoughts and prayers. Let us come together in unity and support for the victims and their loved ones within our Dimmit County community.”
KTTT police, Texas DPS, the Texas Rangers and FBI are investigating the case. Any additional information, including criminal history or motive has yet to be announced.
Maverick County Judge Ramsey Cantu said authorities “are working round-the-clock to ensure the safety of our community and, above all, to bring justice against the individual responsible for this crime.”
Jones was extradited to Maverick County and is being held on $4.5 million in bonds; $1.5 million for each capital murder charge and $300,000 for each aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge, according to the sheriff’s office.
