Two Border Patrol agents were killed this morning when their unmarked SUV was hit by a train near Gila Bend, and Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne already is implicating illegal drug traffickers in their death.
Either Horne knows something Border Patrol authorities don't, or he just assumes every illegal immigrant walking through the desert is selling drugs.
Horne's office released a statement this morning saying, "I am terribly saddened by the news of the deaths of two Border Patrol agents who were killed when their vehicle collided with a train near Gila Bend. These agents were pursuing suspected drug traffickers at the time of the accident and they died doing their job to protect U.S.citizens."
Slow down, Horney -- we spoke with Border Patrol Agent Kenneth Quillin this morning who says they don't yet know if the people being pursued by the agents were "drug traffickers." He says all agents know at this point is that it was a "group" of people.
A spokesman for Horne, however, insists to New Times that "from what we understand," the agents were pursuing drug traffickers.
Not that it makes a huge difference -- two border agents were killed doing their job. But when trying to fuel the inferno that is the debate over illegal immigration, "drug traffickers" is much sexier terminology than "group of people wandering through the desert in search of a better life."
The cause of the wreck is still unclear. The FBI is investigating, and Agent Quillin would not speculate as to whether the agents were trying to beat the train across the tracks while pursuing this "group" and tragically lost the race.
Check back for updates.
