News

Shots fired at border patrol copter near Mexico

by Mark Hensch - 06/06/15 11:04 AM ET

Shots were fired at a Customs and Border Protection (CPB) helicopter flying Friday evening over the border between Texas and Mexico, according to reports.

Officials said gunfire erupted around 5:30 p.m. local time near the Rio Grande River in North Laredo, according to the local NBC News affiliate.

Witnesses reported the shots coming from Mexico’s side of the border.

{mosads}Five shots were fired, but just two struck the aircraft.

Border Patrol spokesperson Sara Melendez said Friday evening that no one was injured and the helicopter landed safely, according to The Laredo Morning Times.

NBC News’ local affiliate said the shooting’s proximity to international boundaries had pulled the border patrol’s main headquarters into the incident.

Local law enforcement officials helped secure the area, it added, but federal entities will handle the case going forward.

The news station said the scene took place at the intersection of Aguero and Bernadette Lane near the Wolf Creek subdivision in North Laredo.

Police were guarding the area near the Rio Grande riverbank when the helicopter was fired upon, it said.

The aircraft was making its third pass of the region when shots rang out.

“They did about two turns, and then they just flew away,” area resident Juan Maya told NBC News’ affiliate.

“Then maybe ten minutes later it came back but it was a lot higher,” he said.

Adriana Alvarez, another area resident, said Friday evening the incident was unusual for North Laredo.

“Well, we’ve always had helicopters around here, but there’s never been a shooting or anything,” she said. “Because here it’s always very peaceful.”

Tags Border Patrol