A U.S. Border Patrol agent died Sunday from injuries in Texas he suffered in the line of duty in the Big Bend sector of the state with his partner, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection statement.
The statement said Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36, and his partner, who was not named, were responding to activity in the Van Horn section near Interstate 10 when the incident happened. Martinez's partner reported that they had been injured and needed help, the statement continued.
Both agents were transported to a local hospital where the statement said Martinez died from his injuries and his partner remained in serious condition. The statement did not say how they were injured or the time of day the incident occurred.
Fox News said reports that the agents were shot were denied by the FBI, which had taken over the hunt for the killers.
"They were not fired upon," said Jeanette Harper of the FBI's El Paso office, per Fox News. "There are so many different agencies working together that we need to come together and develop a timeline."
"We are fully supporting the ongoing investigation to determine the cause of this tragic event," Elaine Duke, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, said in a statement. "On behalf of the quarter of a million frontline officers and agents of DHS, my thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Agent Martinez and to the agent who is in serious condition."
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection statement said the Culberson County Sheriff's Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of Inspector General, and CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility were investigating the incident.
"This is a stark reminder of the ongoing threat that an unsecure border poses to the safety of our communities and those charged with defending them," Texas U.S Sen. Ted Cruz said in a statement.
"We are grateful for the courage and sacrifice of our border agents who have dedicated their lives to keeping us safe. I remain fully committed to working with the Border Patrol to provide them with all the resources they need to safeguard our nation," Cruz continued.
The Border Patrol's special operations group and agents from its air and marine operations were searching the area for potential suspects or witnesses, the agency said.
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