Texas Jogger Killed by Gunfire that Crossed Border from Mexico

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A local jogger died after being shot during his evening run. Authorities believe the shots were fired from the Mexican side of the border — an area controlled by the Gulf Cartel.

This week, 57-year-old Miguel Angel Valdez Hernandez went for an evening jog in an area not far from the banks of the Rio Grande when he was struck by gunfire, information provided to Breitbart News by the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office revealed. The victim, a local health enthusiast, was running through a series of dirt roads on Tuesday when a group of gunmen in Mexico are believed to have fired several .223 rounds, possibly from an AR-15 or similar model, and struck the victim.

While authorities have not identified any suspects, a surveillance camera captured an image of a group of men riding in a white pickup near the border at the time of the shooting. Sheriff’s investigators have contacted their Mexican counterparts for help.

The scene of the shooting is directly north of La Rusias and Guadalupe neighborhoods in Matamoros, two areas that are known hideouts for members of the Gulf Cartel. The criminal organization is notorious for controlling drug and human smuggling into Texas.

Brownsville is the same border city whose outgoing Mayor Tony Martinez has been openly critical about border issues.

“There is not a crisis in the city of Brownsville with regards to safety and security,” Martinez said during an interview with the New York Times where he touted the city’s crime statistics. “There’s no gunfire.”

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Border / Cartel Chronicles. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Border / Cartel Chronicles. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.