Tribal member fatally shot by Border Patrol agents in Arizona; FBI investigating
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The FBI and Tohono O’odham Nation police are investigating the fatal shooting of a tribal member by U.S. Border Patrol agents in southern Arizona.
Customs and Border Protection officials said agents from the Ajo Border Patrol Station were involved in a fatal shooting on the Tohono O’odham reservation near Ajo around 10 p.m. Thursday.
They said the incident is under review by Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility. But they haven’t released any additional information.
Tribal chairman Ned Norris Jr. said in a statement Sunday that the shooting occurred in the Meneger’s Dam community of the Tohono O’odham Nation and identified the victim.
“Nation member Raymond Mattia lost his life in the incident. Our hearts go out to his family and all those impacted during this difficult time,” Norris said. “As the investigation proceeds, the Nation expects full consideration of all related facts of the incident and an appropriate and expeditious response from relevant public safety agencies. Because the investigation is ongoing, we will refrain from making further comment at this time.”
Mattia had called Border Patrol because he wanted assistance getting multiple migrants who trespassed into his yard off of his property, NBC affiliate KVOA of Tucson reported, quoting a family member.
Meneger’s Dam is only a few miles from the U.S-Mexico border.
According to KVOA, Mattia’s family told them that he went outside when he saw the agents, and he was shot for an unknown reason
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Unfortunately on the Rez, this is not an uncommon event - law enforcement shooting tribal members for little or no reason.
I really wanna see how this one is handled.
The Tohono O'odham have a strained relationship with the BP, especially after a fence and border crossing was built right through their reservation.
Tohono O'odham has a unit named the Shadow Wolves which are part of the ICE Homeland Security they are trackers that track drug smugglers and they do it alone in the hundreds of miles of desert. Yet this kind of shit happens. They are so good that the drug cartels have put a bounty on their head.
If this report turns out to be accurate it's another in a long line of Natives being killed by LEO.
Don't you know, we are the forgotten people. Young women and girls get raped and nothing is done. But shoot one of us, and sweep it under the rug.
We hear about the blacks being killed by LEOs but the fact of the matter is that NAs are killed by LEOs at a higher rate than any other race.
Native Americans Most Likely To Die From Police Shootings
Why don't we know about these victims? I had no idea about this 'stat' you shared. Black people as a collective speak up and out in public spaces. And Native Americans can too! Demand 'em' have better (proper) respect for your people! Rather LEOs want to or not!
We are a small part of the US population, less than 10 million and it's easy to ignore us. Please don't think that we don't protest and ''speak up'' in all media, but as they say we are the invisible people, and besides a small population there are, IMO other factors in play.
RESPECT.
Honestly, Kavika I have learned more (and been interested more in NA people) because of your sharings on NT! Largely, my general understanding and 'theory of the case' regarding my NA brothers and sisters is that they self-isolated themselves on reservations. It was your sharing which proved to me that this was not (always) so.
The issue in practice is that if people want others to know what is being negatively done to them somebody has to bring it and 'drive the message home' or silence fills the vacuum! That is, the loudest voices in the room get heard well over and over again.
NA might want to join in with other marginalized people who are ringing doorbells, voting, and making political inroads across and through this county! I think at this time it is 'happening.'
The low-key 'voice' of NA people in media as led me to believe y'all wanted to be left alone. Now, I am realizing this is not the case.
We welcome you! I welcome you (as if you need me to - LOL!) You're not a small people. We love you. We respect you. We 'want' you as you are.
NA people are not alone. NA people may have more support within other groups than they imagine possible.
Cops are more likely to shoot people of color, because... color.
OTOH, if they do happen to shoot a White, they're just as immune from consequences. Basically, cops have a license to kill.