McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — U.S. Border Patrol officials say they encountered five migrants with gunshot wounds on the Rio Grande near the South Texas town of Hidalgo earlier this week.
The injured were part of a group of 11 migrants who had crossed the river from Mexico and were found around 12:40 a.m. on Monday, agents said.
They were shot in Mexico, prior to their entry into the United States and were given lifesaving treatment by agents before emergency medical assistance arrived, the agency said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon.
“This encounter serves as yet another reminder of the dangers migrants face when they place their well-being in the hands of smugglers who are only interested in turning a profit,” Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Brian Hastings said.
The migrants were taken to a local hospital and the incident is being investigated.
Border Report has reached out to Border Patrol and asked for more information on the injuries sustained by the migrants and probable causes. This story will be updated if information is received.