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Off-Duty Border Agent Shot Dead in Texas

A U.S. Border Patrol agent on a Sunday night fishing outing was shot in an apparent robbery attempt, authorities said.
Image: The fence marking the border between Mexico and the U.S. is seen in the Anapra neighborhood of Ciudad Juarez
An off-duty Border Patrol agent was shot to death Sunday night.Reuters

An agent with the U.S. Border Patrol was shot and killed Sunday evening while on an off-duty fishing trip in Texas, authorities said. The armed agent, who has not yet been identified, was shot by robbers near the town Santa Monica, the Associated Press reported.

Willacy County authorities said the the agent was fishing with his wife, kids and father when they were attacked at about 8 p.m. CT (9 ET). The agent was fatally shot in the chest while his father was shot in the hip, said Willacy County Sheriff Larry Spence. After a brief manhunt involving state and local officials, two men found in a shed surrendered and were in custody Monday morning. Authorities said stick-ups targeting fishermen are not uncommon in the area. Santa Monica is about 35 miles north of the Mexico border, near the Gulf of Mexico.

IN-DEPTH

— Jon Schuppe and Mark Potter