Mexico violence mustn't affect U.S. policy

[Gunco]

While it's good to have more agents trying to interdict the southward flow of weapons into Mexico, the knee jerk response of tightening gun control must be avoided.

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[mija]

The knee jerk reporting keeps telling us that the southward flow is the problem. It is, its the problem that they have proposed since Holder was told to back off on the assault bill.
They will use any means that they can to chip away. Quit telling us and start showing us. Where are the firearms that "we" have sent south.

I also found it interesting that the JPFO reported about a month ago that there would be shootings. Notice, the shootings are here. How ironic that the perp that they used with the police officers had been released convict. Kinda reminds me of Willie Horton.
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Check this out, just found it.

Suspended U.S. marshal from El Paso shot to death in Jurez
Posted:03/27/2009 1:56 AM
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By Daniel Borunda and Adriana M. Chvez / El Paso Times

EL PASO -- A financially strapped deputy U.S. marshal from El Paso found shot to death in Juárez was a fugitive accused of pawning firearms stolen from the government, officials said.

The body of Vicente Paul Bustamante, 48, was found Wednesday morning in an irrigation canal in east Juárez, Chihuahua state police said. Bustamante had a gunshot wound to the back of the head, and investigators labeled his death a homicide. No weapon was found.

Bustamante's body was identified Thursday by his wife after investigators had difficulty because of the body's decomposition.

"We're going to provide as much assistance to the family as we can as far as bringing him back from Mexico and bring some closure to this," said Fernando Karl, chief deputy U.S. marshal for the Western District of Texas.

Bustamante was an El Paso native and worked for the U.S. Marshals Service for about 18 years. Bustamante, who spent his career in El Paso, was on suspension and had surrendered his weapon, credentials and badge to supervisors.

"Vince was a familiar face around the federal courthouse," Bustamante's lawyer Miguel A. Torres said. "He was a guy who was very well liked. It's a tragedy for him and his family."

Bustamante's death comes as high-level U.S. and Mexican officials have been talking about increased cooperation in dealing with rampant drug cartel violence in Juárez and other parts of Mexico. More than 2,000 people have been slain in the Juárez area in the past 15 months. though
the number of daily homicides has decreased since the deployment of thousands of Mexican soldiers and federal police earlier this month.

A cross-border investigation by Mexican authorities, the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service was looking into Bustamante's death. The El Paso office of the FBI said it was investigating the case as an "assault on a federal officer" as is routine in any assault or death of a federal agent.

"We are asking for the public's patience as we work jointly to complete this investigation," said FBI Special Agent in Charge David Cuthbertson.

"We do not want anyone to draw conclusions about the circumstances surrounding his death until we know the details."

Bustamante was an El Paso police officer before joining the U.S. Marshals Service.

Police spokesman Javier Sambrano said that information about Bustamante's time in the Police Department was not immediately available.

Federal court documents show Bustamante was charged on March 2 with stealing four .40-caliber Glocks, three shotguns, two Ruger revolvers and a pair of binoculars between September 2004 and December 2007.

The property was recovered, officials said.

"Some of the accusations against him, (were that) he was pawning some equipment from the Marshals Service to get some quick cash. He had some financial problems," Karl said.

Documents stated that Bustamante signed a plea agreement admitting having stolen public property and was scheduled to attend court on March 18, but never showed up.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer saw Bustamante walking into Mexico on the night of March 17, according to a document requesting a warrant for Bustamante's arrest issued when he did not show up for court.

The document stated that Bustamante left a truck running with its lights on.

When the border officer told Bustamante that he had left the truck's lights on, Bustamante replied, "You turn them off" as he walked across the bridge into Mexico.

After his disappearance, Bustamante's wife and youngest son repeatedly called his cell phone but got no answer, the document stated.

Torres declined to talk about the charges against Bustamante but described him as a good person who was well-liked by his co-workers.

"In my opinion, he appeared to be somebody who was coping with his legal situation," Torres said. "I'm very shocked by everything that has happened."

Daniel Borunda may be reached at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]; 546-6102.

Adriana M. Chávez may be reached at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]; 546-6117.