October 10, 2012
Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, 16; Border Patrol agent: Lonnie Swartz
Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, 16, shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent while in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Courtesy the family
Border Patrol agent Lonnie Swartz fired his weapon through the border fence 16 times, striking José Antonio Elena RodrÃguez eight times in the back and twice in the head. The agent fired in response to what he said were rock throwers trying to distract agents as two alleged drug smugglers tried to flee back into Mexico.
In 2015, the federal government indicted Swartz with second-degree murder. After about four weeks of trial, a Tucson jury found the agent not guilty of second-degree murdered and were deadlocked in two lesser charges: voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. Swartz's will be tried again on the two lesser charges on October 23.
