An American hiker was shot in the leg by suspected Mexican cartel members in the mountains near San Diego on Wednesday, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in border regions.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that the incident took place in the Jacumba Wilderness area, near the U.S.-Mexico border, when two hikers, one American and one Canadian, were confronted by armed individuals.
“Two of the hikers, one U.S. citizen and one Canadian citizen, were approached by two armed individuals and were commanded to come toward the armed men,” the CBP stated. “When the hikers refused to follow the armed subjects’ commands, the assailants fired a volley of shots toward the hikers, striking one victim in the leg.”
The assailants then advanced, robbing the injured hiker and his companion of their cell phones and backpacks before retreating into Mexico. Border Patrol agents responded to emergency calls, evacuating the injured hiker and tracking the attackers.
The attack occurred approximately 1,000 feet north of the U.S.-Mexico border in the Jacumba Wilderness, a known hotspot for illegal crossings. The incident follows President Donald Trump’s executive order this week designating Mexican drug cartels and other criminal organizations, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, as terrorist groups.
Trump’s order emphasized the threat these groups pose to “the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere.”
Border Patrol agents from the Mountain Disrupt Unit, Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), and Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) were deployed to the scene.
“At 12:08 p.m., agents located the injured victim, stabilized him, and created a protective perimeter,” the CBP reported. “The victim was airlifted to Sharp Medical Center in San Diego for treatment. Agents tracked the assailants back to the border, where they retreated into Mexico.”
El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino commented: “This incident underscores the importance of adequate border infrastructure. Suspected cartel terrorists are fixing to learn this type of conduct will be an end game type of activity here in the premier sector. All threats will be addressed vigorously.”
Brian Michael Jenkins, a terrorism expert at the RAND Corporation, told Newsweek: “Drug cartels could easily evolve into real terrorist organizations. With over one million U.S. expats in Mexico, they and their firms could become targets for reprisals.”
The incident has reignited discussions about border security and potential military action against cartels. President Trump, who has previously suggested deploying troops into Mexico to combat these organizations, remarked: “Could happen… stranger things have happened.”
