January 5, 2011
Ramses Barron Torres, 17
COPY PHOTO of Ramses Barron Torres
Border Patrol agents were responding to reports that individuals were moving drugs across the U.S.– Mexico border. When the agents arrived at the location, Ramses Barron-Torres, a 17-year-old Mexican national, and three others started throwing rocks from the Mexican side of the fence at two agents as a fifth person, who was carrying a bundle of suspected drugs, ran parallel to the fence on the U.S. side.
The agents had to take cover to protect themselves from the rocking, officials said, and told them in Spanish to stop throwing rocks.
But they said Barron-Torres continued,and one of the agents fired a round at from his M4 rifle, killing the teen. A videotape of the incident captured Barron-Torres making a throwing motion with his right arm, then falling to the ground.
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In August 2013, the Justice Department declined to file civil or criminal charges against the agent. Federal reports show the agent called for a less lethal device to be brought to the border before the shooting occurred.
Federal officials said there was insufficient evidence to disprove the agent's claim that he shot Barron-Torres in self-defense. They also said they lack jurisdiction to prosecute the agent under the federal criminal civil-rights statute because the teen was on the Mexican side of the border when he was shot.
