Mexican Man, Anastasio Hernandez, Dies After Being Shocked With Stun Gun By Border Patrol Agents

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- A 32-year-old Mexican man has died after being shocked by a stun gun during a confrontation with Border Patrol agents at a California border crossing, officials said Tuesday.

Anastasio Hernandez died Monday at a hospital in Chula Vista, south of San Diego, days after he was shocked at San Isidro, U.S. and Mexican officials said.

Mexico's Foreign Relations Department on Tuesday condemned the use of force against Hernandez.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Jacqueline Dizdul alleges Hernandez became combative with agents who were preparing to hand him over to Mexican officials in Tijuana late Friday after he entered the United States illegally.

After he ignored repeated orders to stop fighting, one of the Border Patrol officers shocked him with a stun gun to subdue him and protect agents, she said.

Paramedics were notified immediately and Hernandez was taken to the hospital, Dizdul said. The Border Patrol also worked to allow several of his family members into the United States to be with him.

Dizdul said the Border Patrol regrets the loss of life and is awaiting the results of the investigation.

Comments

[inthedesert]

06:19 PM on 06/21/2010

......HEY, STUFF HAPPENS.

[Psyllicon]

10:12 PM on 06/10/2010

Anastasio had been handcuffed and lead to the border for repatriation (a term meaning ‘politely sent home’ — which I question the ignorance of, since he had obviously committed Felonious re-entry after being deported recently). When he was released from bondage he immediately turned on and attacked the two officers processing him.

They in turn used other than lethal force to protect themselves and subdue the criminal (if the term criminal in that context seems inappropriate to you, then I will gladly point out that it is you who is being hypocritical)

The perp was subdued by use of a taser, which was a perfectly warranted use of force given the circumstances. The complicating factor was that the perp was also a drug abuser and had methamphetamine in his system (which weakens the heart considerably).

Summarily, as the extenuating circumstances are not clear to any of us yet:

An illegal border crosser was apprehended and taken into custody. His repatriation was determined and acted on. After being released from an otherwise felonious and prosecutable detention, the perpetrator became violent and attacked two officers, wrestling them both to the ground.

That is clearly justification for the officers to subdue the perp using other than lethal force. They cannot be held accountable for the perpetrator’s choices, including the use of methamphetamine.

Case closed –

[eov329]

04:59 PM on 06/08/2010

Tasers are not deadly force. Being an idiot and combative is the reason this guy tasered.

[micifus]

01:37 AM on 06/09/2010

So how is it that he is dead? The coroner who ruled this death a homicide might be interested to know.

[Psyllicon]

10:10 PM on 06/10/2010

It was homicidal due to the determination that he died of a heart-attack which was triggered (pardon the pun) by the stun gun, and otherwise 'less than lethal' use of force. His body's response to the stun gun was complicated by the fact that he was a drug abuser who had methamphetamine in his system.

Time will tell how badly so, but clearly he had already weakened his heart by abusing methamphetamine.

[karmatt77]

11:07 AM on 06/04/2010

We have border patrol agents living in the wild west carrying out sentences on illegal aliens and the masses applaud. Human rights can go into the gutter lets just shoot people if they come illegally. yah that's the ticket. I better not get pulled over since i'm mexican and most of the time i dont' carry my passport with me. The cops can just beat me to a pulp for breaking YOUR laws maybe taser me for just talking and trying to defend myself and if i die too bad illegal dirty mexican. land of the free, justice for all????

[slinkybro]

01:48 PM on 06/04/2010

You certainly have a warped sense of reality. If you don't like it here, go somewhere else.

[juanmi]

12:12 AM on 06/10/2010

Do you? This country has been built by immigrants, and certainly you can not change what has made The United States a great country. Have you ever heard about Manifest Destiny?. United States was destined to expand across the North American continent. Thence carrying out sentences on illegal aliens and killing children on the border is USA goberment legacy.

[nee]

10:35 AM on 06/05/2010

The officer was defending his partner. The ILLEGAL ALIEN was the one who came to our country ILLEGALLY and attacked a border patrol officer. The ILLEGAL ALIEN is at fault he is the one responsible for his own death.

[micifus]

02:06 AM on 06/09/2010

You certainly seem to have made the ILLEGAL ALIEN issue your mission. But facts are important, and so far we don't know all of them to declare Hernandez, nor the officer for that matter, responsible.

We know that Anastasio Hernandez was in this country illegally (or ILLEGALLY, as you might say). What we don't know - at least not with any certainty - is whether he did in fact attack the officer and if he did present a real danger to the other officers. For one thing, there's the coroner's determination of murder, as well as conflicting testimony from witnesses on both sides of the border. Taking this in consideration, how can one conclude (at least, as quickly as you have) that Hernandez, not the officer, is in fact responsible for his own death? Or should his illegal status make him unworthy of the benefit of the doubt? Are you saying that it is his "illegality", not the officer and the stun gun that caused his death?

[juanmi]

12:18 AM on 06/10/2010

Have you seen the video? What if you go looking for an opportunity and you get beaten-up as you come in? What about his kids? How would you explain that to your kids?

[hopeful22]

06:39 PM on 06/03/2010

If we build a wall and secure our border this could be avoided. No loss of life or imprisonment for our border patrol agents or people trying to cross the border illegally.

[spytheweb]

03:53 AM on 06/06/2010

If people just obeyed the law this could be avoided.

[micifus]

02:33 AM on 06/09/2010

True ... for the most part. It's likely the man died from the effects of being tasered with a stun gun, and reportedly beaten, while under the effects of amphetamines. People in that state aren't good at obeying orders. He did break immigration and drug laws, apparently, but seeing as his death has been determined a murder by the coroner, it's possible other laws were broken. After all, in our country laws apply not just to immigrants, but to immigration officers as well.
In theory, at least.

[Puller58]

02:39 PM on 06/03/2010

Mexico will object to any measure that threatens to slow the flood of illegals into the US. Between the illegals and the oil spill in the Gulf, the economy is going to Hell.

[micifus]

03:10 AM on 06/09/2010

Does that mean that the pressure is off Wall Street and the big bankers and all? Are we going back to that old tradition of blaming poor immigrants for the downfall of the country? Which, of course, brings great relief to the Goldman and the Sacks and the such who've been feeling rather persecuted lately - unfairly vilified, demonized and criticized latley by those too clueless to know the power that illegals have to destroy a country's economy - what with their hard working, uncomplaining ways. Clearly, "illegals" and BP are in the same villainous class - one just does a better job cleaning up.

[MadHeart]

01:02 PM on 06/03/2010

So, an illegal trying to get into the US, full of methamphetamine and hard to control--what steps would YOU have taken to ensure your own safety and that of the public? I don't like the use of tasers, but people do get out of control--any method used to restrain them is going to come under scrutiny, any method. Should they simply be left to their behavior?

Regrettably, this man lost his life, but he made choices that led directly to it. It's the same as if I were to drive drunk--a choice which could lead to my death, or worse, to that of an innocent person.

[BrickSykes]

01:58 PM on 06/03/2010

Don't you think you're assuming a lot of stuff not in evidence? And your certainty makes me suspicious about your grasp on 'Due Process', one of our tenets that makes our system stand out when compared to other forms.

If this perp is obviously impaired the cop should be doubly allegiant to his rights, in spite of his momentary disregard. Well trained law enforcement officers are committed to 'thinking for the alleged miscreant', not just waiting for the opportunity to kill him. Some on this thread seem overly anxious to perform duties that are not theirs, i.e., you want to arrest him, decide his guilt, and then mete out the punishment! All without regard to 'innocent till proven guilty', opinion and decision of a 'Judge' or 'Jury.' Where is all that in this thread?

That is one of the reasons our forefathers came over here!

Brick

[bunnyrabbitt]

10:02 AM on 06/03/2010

Remember Ramos-Compean saga..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignacio_Ramos

Ignacio Ramos is a former United States Border Patrol Agent, who shot an allegedly unarmed illegal alien and drug smuggler on the United States–Mexico border. He was convicted of causing serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and a civil rights violation.[

[bflogal66]

07:11 AM on 06/03/2010

Yes, it's sad that a man lost his life. I do not believe that it is the resposibility of the US and US taxpayers to support those who come here illegally. Mexico has refused to deal with it's corrupt goverment and wants it's citizens to come and seems to feel that we have an obligation to accept illegals. I don't care if a perosn is from Mexico, Canada or anywhere else they must come here legally. Just so you know I have been apart from my husband for 9 months while he waits in Canada for his LEGAL immigration paperwork to be processed.

[jerryatthebeach]

06:41 AM on 06/03/2010

Don't most people get shot and killed when they're illegally try to cross a secured border???

[wdw505]

11:57 AM on 06/03/2010

the problem is that we don't have a secured border

[CanUFeel2012]

04:36 AM on 06/03/2010

I can only imagine the Atrocities, that will be commited when they let the N@Z15 loose in Arizona,...

[KIVPossum]

03:33 AM on 06/03/2010

Sorry Hernandez. Next time you try to come in illegally, try not to be on drugs or to fight with the authorities.

[USAFVET76]

02:02 AM on 06/03/2010

Fantastic. A drug zombie illegal 0. Border patrol 1.

[wdw505]

11:58 AM on 06/03/2010

funny

[OldHick]

01:43 AM on 06/03/2010

He was probably an El Quada agent, who took a suicide drug, to make the border agents feel bad.

[gawd]

04:08 AM on 06/03/2010

yup

[ugly american]

01:35 AM on 06/03/2010

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Jacqueline Dizdul alleges Hernandez became combative with agents who were preparing to hand him over to Mexican officials in Tijuana"
This occured in Mexico with Mexican Federales present. So why is there a post below translated from Notimex that portrays it as an act of unnecessary violence bordering on torture? It looks a lot like sensationalism for the purpose of stirring up the Mexican people that THIER rights are being violated, when in fact they are not.
I have seen lies and half truths spread on behalf of Mexican citizens who demand the right to citizenship because they hve managed to come and stay in our country illegally. This looks like another good example.
While the loss of human life is never good, I have a question or two.
If they were in Mexico with Federales present, was it not thier duty to protect one of thier citizens from being shocked and beaten to death by foriegn agents? Or did they participate? This happened on Mexican soil in front of Mexican officials so the sensationalized account is not very believable.
So our news is telling us one thing and thiers is trying to say something entirely different happened.
Just an observation, but this is usually the kind of stuff that is seen happening just before countries go to war.