Mexican safety officer is slain
Tijuana gunmen fatally shot a Mexican immigrant safety officer and injured his partner Wednesday night as they patrolled a dangerous border neighborhood across from San Diego.
The officers were approaching a popular staging area for smugglers when a group of masked assailants in a truck blocked their path. The gunmen opened fire with high-powered weapons, spraying the officers’ vehicle with more than 150 bullets, according to Mexican authorities.
Alejandro Rivera Melendez, 34, died later at a hospital. The other officer’s condition is unknown. The men worked for Grupo Beta, a federal agency that provides medical and other humanitarian assistance to immigrants trying to cross the border.
-- Richard Marosi
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