A 27-year-old Michigan man was fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents early Monday after opening fire with an assault rifle on a Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas, according to local authorities.
The suspect, identified as Ryan Louis Mosqueda, unleashed dozens of rounds at the building’s entrance just before 6 a.m., prompting agents to return fire, McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez said at a press briefing.
During the exchange, a McAllen police officer was shot in the knee and hospitalized. A U.S. Border Patrol employee was also injured, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.
Investigators later discovered additional firearms and large amounts of ammunition in Mosqueda’s nearby parked vehicle, a white Chevrolet. Latin writing reportedly the phrase “Cordis DIE” (“Heart Day”) was spray-painted on the car’s side. The phrase also references a fictional revolutionary group from the Call of Duty: Black Ops II video game, though authorities have not confirmed a motive.
Rodriguez noted Mosqueda was reported missing just hours earlier from a residence in Weslaco, roughly 18 miles east of McAllen, and is believed to have local ties.
The FBI is leading the investigation due to the attack targeting a federal facility. The building reportedly houses Border Patrol’s special operations units, including the tactical BORTAC team, one of whose members was involved in stopping the shooter. McAllen International Airport experienced several hours of delays as the area was secured.
The attack comes amid heightened attention to border security under President Donald Trump, who has prioritised aggressive immigration enforcement and deployment of tactical units like BORTAC, both at the border and in U.S. cities. Trump’s policies have sharply reduced illegal crossings, with June marking a new monthly low of approximately 6,100 arrests.
Federal officials have not linked the shooter’s actions to any political movement or ideology at this time.
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