Topic - Brian A. Terry

**By Mitchell Malcheff, Staff Writer**

Dec 15 - 4 In Custody After Border Patrol Agentdestroyed

By SM - 12-15-2010, 08:20 AM - Boxden > BX Daily Bugle - news and headlines

Four suspects are in custody Wednesday and another one is being sought after a U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot anddestroyed Tuesday on the Arizona-Mexico border, a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

"Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry was shot anddestroyed after he encountered several suspects near Rio Rico, Arizona," the statement said. "Agent Terry's destroy is a tragic reminder of the ever-present dangers U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, Air & Marine and Border Patrol agents face as they protect our nation's borders."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Terry family for their tragic loss," said CBP Commissioner Alan Bersin. "Our commitment to Agent Terry and his family is that we will do everything possible to bring to justice those responsible for this despicable act."

The FBI is leading the investigation into the agent's [rip], with the[..]istance of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.

4 in custody after border patrol agentdestroyed - CNN.com

Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry United States Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border Protection – Border Patrol U.S. Government End of Watch: Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Published December 16, 2010 Uncategorized 3 Comments

Photograph: Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry

Patch image: United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, U.S. Government

Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry
United States Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border Protection – Border Patrol
U.S. Government
End of Watch: Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Biographical Info
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 3 years, 5 months
Badge Number: Not available
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Incident Location: Arizona
Weapon Used: Rifle; AK-47
Suspect Info: One at large
Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was shot and killed near Rio Rico, Arizona, while attempting to apprehend a group of armed subjects. The suspects had been preying on illegal immigrants with the intent to rob them.
Agent Terry and several other agents were attempting to arrest the group when shots were exchanged between the suspects and agents. Agent Terry was reportedly struck in the back by rounds fired by a suspect armed with an AK-47.
Agent Terry was flown to a hospital where he succumbed to his wounds early the following morning.
Four members of the group were taken into custody and at least one suspect remains at large.
Agent Terry was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the United States Border Patrol for 3.5 years. He is survived by his parents, brother, and two sisters.
Agency Contact Information
United States Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border Protection – Border Patrol
1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Room 6.5E
Washington, DC 20229
Phone: (202) 344-3532
Please contact the United States Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border Protection – Border Patrol for funeral arrangements or for survivor benefit fund information.
New American
Four people have been arrested in connection with the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who died this morning after a late-night shootout close to the Mexican border, officials said. At least one other suspect was still on the loose.
The agent, 40-year-old Brian Terry, died this morning in a Tucson hospital after being shot last night. According to various reports, he was trying to catch “bandits” who target illegal immigrants crossing the border. Terry is reportedly the 111th Border Patrol agent to be killed in the line of duty since 1919.
Shortly after the agent was pronounced dead, his union, Local 2544 of the National Border Patrol Council, released a stinging statement on its website condemning the U.S government.
“This is one more example of the sacrifices made by front-line agents, and it’s a major reason we are continually outraged by activists and self-serving politicians in Washington DC who sell us out with incessant talk about ‘amnesty’ for illegal aliens,” the union said. “While they play games, our country continues to be invaded and Border Patrol agents continue to pay the price. Please don’t let Agent Terry’s death be in vain.” The union urged supporters to contact their elected officials.
A flurry of politicians, union officials, and government spokespeople also condemned the killing and offered various comments. “This is a sign that the politicians and bureaucrats are overly optimistic in their assessment that the borders are more secure now than at any point in our history. It showed just the opposite,” said T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council.
Homeland Security boss Janet Napolitano, who oversees the Border Patrol, released a statement calling the killing “an unconscionable act of violence against the men and women of the Border Patrol and all those who serve and defend our country.” She said it was “a stark reminder of the very real dangers our men and women on the frontlines confront every day as they protect our communities and the American people.”
In another statement, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin vowed to prosecute those responsible. “Our commitment to Agent Terry and his family is that we will do everything possible to bring to justice those responsible for this despicable act,” he promised. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Terry family for their tragic loss.”
The incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee took the opportunity to lambaste the President’s policies, and by extension, the Department of Homeland Security. “The Obama administration’s lax enforcement of immigration laws, coupled with calls for mass amnesty, only encourage more illegal immigration,” Texas Republican Lamar Smith said in a statement after hearing of the agent’s death. “Our border remains porous and the Obama administration has done nothing to stop the steady flow of human and drug smuggling from Mexico.”
Civilian groups also condemned the attack and thanked the deceased agent for his service. “Each day a special group of men and women put their lives on the line for the safety and security of this country. The agents of the United States Border Patrol are normally rancher’s first responders and usually the only law enforcement on our ranches across the Southern Arizona Border,” the Arizona Cattlemen’s Association said in a statement to a local news agency. “Today we are deeply saddened by the loss of Agent Brian Terry, a patrol officer from the Nogales Border Patrol Station. We are thankful for his dedicated service to protecting the United States of America.”
Countless other elected representatives and officials also released statements offering similar comments and condolences. A memorial page has already been set up on the Officer Down Memorial Page.
Agent Terry, who also served in the military and was a Border Patrol agent for several years, is survived by his parents and siblings. He was working with a specialized unit that deals with particularly dangerous situations.
The fatal shootout happened about 10 miles north of the border near Rio Rico, a known hotspot for human traffickers and other criminals. Agent Terry was shot while trying to apprehend a group of heavily armed suspects who were reportedly preying on illegal immigrants trying to get across the border.
Details on exactly what happened remain murky so far, but a probe is ongoing. A manhunt is also underway to apprehend a fifth suspect who managed to flee. News reports speculated that the fugitive could be heading back across the border, where U.S. agents would no longer have jurisdiction.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s office will also be participating in the investigation, and more details are expected in the coming days.
UPDATE: The family shares a few moments with viewers
UPDATE 2: Memorial Funeral

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Brandon Judd, president of Local 2544 of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents non-supervisory agents in the Tucson sector, including Mr. Terry, said the union believed the agent was killed by "illegal alien bandits north of Nogales during a shootout.

Bandits who prey on illegals gun down Border Patrol agent

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Border Patrol agent killed in southern Arizona

Four arrested, fifth at large; bandits awaited drug shipment, FBI says

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Image: Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry

Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry, 40, died Wednesday after a shootout with drug suspects north of the Arizona-Mexico border, officials said.

msnbc.com staff and news service reports

updated 12/15/2010 6:03:28 PM ET

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NOGALES, Ariz. — A U.S. Border Patrol agent died Wednesday after he was shot in a gun battle with heavily armed suspects awaiting a drug load north of the Arizona-Mexico border, officials said.

FBI sources told KVOA-TV News 4 that Brian A. Terry, 40, and three other agents confronted five bandits Tuesday night north of Nogales, near Rio Rico.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano both said the killnig was a reminder of the threats and dangers lurking along the border.

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The agents were trying to catch bandits who target illegal immigrants, the leader of a union representing agents said Wednesday.
No other agents were injured, but one of the suspects was wounded in the shootout, said National Border Patrol Council President T.J. Bonner.
The FBI and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office are investigating the shooting, officials said.
Customs and Border Patrol spokesman Eric Cantu and FBI spokeswoman Brenda Lee Nath declined to confirm Bonner's account, but said that authorities have four suspects in custody, including one in the hospital, and were searching for a fifth.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Terry family for their tragic loss,” said Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Alan Bersin, according to KVOA. “Our commitment to Agent Terry and his family is that we will do everything possible to bring to justice those responsible for this despicable act.”
Brewer, in a statement carried by KVOA, said said the state was shocked and saddened by Terry's slaying and that "our prayers are with his family" and all agents and their families.
"Although we needed no reminder of the ever increasing dangers along our southern border, this tragedy serves as stark notice that the threats facing all who serve in protecting our state and nation are real, and are increasing on a daily basis," she said.

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Napolitano, former Arizona governor, will travel to the state Thursday and Friday to meet with Border Patrol agents and staff in Nogales and Tucson, NBC News reported.
Napolitano extended condolences to Terry's family and said the federal state and local authorities will make sure "those responsible for this horrendous act are held responsible. We will leave no stone unturned as we seek justice for the perpetrators."
Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said he was deeply saddened by Terry's death.
"The federal government must do more to secure the border and prevent future tragedies," he said.

Only on msnbc.com

Terry is the third Border Patrol agent to be killed in the line of duty this year, the Customs and Border Protection agency says, KVOA said. Thirty-four agents have died in the line of duty in the last 15 years, according to agency figures reported by KVOA.
Terry had served in the military and was a Border Patrol agent for about three years. He died early Wednesday.
Terry was a native of Detroit, Mich., and is survived by his parents, a brother and two sisters.
Bandits have long roamed border areas, robbing and sexually assaulting illegal immigrants as they cross into the country.
Bonner, whose group represents 17,000 agents, said the fatal shooting shows that the border is still dangerous.
"This is a sign that the politicians and bureaucrats are overly optimistic in their assessment that the borders are more secure now than at any point in our history. It showed just the opposite," Bonner said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Border Patrol Agent Killed, Four Arrested So Far

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Written by Alex Newman

Wednesday, 15 December 2010 17:00

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Four people have been arrested in connection with the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who died this morning after a late-night shootout close to the Mexican border, officials said. At least one other suspect was still on the loose.
The agent, 40-year-old Brian Terry, died this morning in a Tucson hospital after being shot last night. According to various reports, he was trying to catch “bandits” who target illegal immigrants crossing the border. Terry is reportedly the 111th Border Patrol agent to be killed in the line of duty since 1919.

Shortly after the agent was pronounced dead, his union, Local 2544 of the National Border Patrol Council, released a stinging statement on its website condemning the U.S government.

“This is one more example of the sacrifices made by front-line agents, and it's a major reason we are continually outraged by activists and self-serving politicians in Washington DC who sell us out with incessant talk about ‘amnesty’ for illegal aliens,” the union said. “While they play games, our country continues to be invaded and Border Patrol agents continue to pay the price. Please don't let Agent Terry's death be in vain.” The union urged supporters to contact their elected officials.

A flurry of politicians, union officials, and government spokespeople also condemned the killing and offered various comments. "This is a sign that the politicians and bureaucrats are overly optimistic in their assessment that the borders are more secure now than at any point in our history. It showed just the opposite," said T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council.

Homeland Security boss Janet Napolitano, who oversees the Border Patrol, released a statement calling the killing "an unconscionable act of violence against the men and women of the Border Patrol and all those who serve and defend our country." She said it was “a stark reminder of the very real dangers our men and women on the frontlines confront every day as they protect our communities and the American people."

In another statement, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin vowed to prosecute those responsible. “Our commitment to Agent Terry and his family is that we will do everything possible to bring to justice those responsible for this despicable act,” he promised. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Terry family for their tragic loss."

The incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee took the opportunity to lambaste the President’s policies, and by extension, the Department of Homeland Security. "The Obama administration’s lax enforcement of immigration laws, coupled with calls for mass amnesty, only encourage more illegal immigration," Texas Republican Lamar Smith said in a statement after hearing of the agent’s death. "Our border remains porous and the Obama administration has done nothing to stop the steady flow of human and drug smuggling from Mexico."

Civilian groups also condemned the attack and thanked the deceased agent for his service. "Each day a special group of men and women put their lives on the line for the safety and security of this country. The agents of the United States Border Patrol are normally rancher's first responders and usually the only law enforcement on our ranches across the Southern Arizona Border,” the Arizona Cattlemen's Association said in a statement to a local news agency. “Today we are deeply saddened by the loss of Agent Brian Terry, a patrol officer from the Nogales Border Patrol Station. We are thankful for his dedicated service to protecting the United States of America."

Countless other elected representatives and officials also released statements offering similar comments and condolences. A memorial page has already been set up on the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Agent Terry, who also served in the military and was a Border Patrol agent for several years, is survived by his parents and siblings. He was working with a specialized unit that deals with particularly dangerous situations.

The fatal shootout happened about 10 miles north of the border near Rio Rico, a known hotspot for human traffickers and other criminals. Agent Terry was shot while trying to apprehend a group of heavily armed suspects who were reportedly preying on illegal immigrants trying to get across the border.

Details on exactly what happened remain murky so far, but a probe is ongoing. A manhunt is also underway to apprehend a fifth suspect who managed to flee. News reports speculated that the fugitive could be heading back across the border, where U.S. agents would no longer have jurisdiction.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s office will also be participating in the investigation, and more details are expected in the coming days.

Photo: This undated photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian A. Terry: AP Images

Jonesville couple mourn loss of son who died in Border Patrol skirmish

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Kent and Carolyn Terry.

Brian Terry (right) was a Border Patrol agent who was killed by bandits in the Arizona mountains Dec. 14. Brian called his father Kent (left), who lives in Jonesville, his hero.

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By Mitchell Malcheff, Staff Writer

Hillsdale Daily News

Posted Dec 20, 2010 @ 09:00 AM

Jonesville, Mich. —

Border Patrol agent Brian A. Terry, 40, was killed by Mexican bandits in the Arizona mountains near Nogales Tuesday, Dec. 14. Terry is the son of Kent Terry and the stepson of Carolyn Terry, who live in Jonesville.

Terry was part of an elite BORTAC team, (Border Patrol Tactical Unit), stationed in Naco, Ariz. on the Mexico-United States border. He was shot in the back by Mexican bandits in a mountain pass that is a hotbed of illegal immigrant activity.

According to Brandon Judd, president of the Local 2544 agents’ union, BORTAC teams respond to the some of
the agency’s stickiest situations.

“They specialize in activity such as what they encountered (Tuesday) night, that’s what they’re there for,” Judd told the Nogales International. “Any time an agent encounters a known suspect who has weapons, we call BORTAC.”
In a strange twist of fate, Terry was on a mission to protect illegal immigrants coming through the pass. They are often robbed and raped by Mexican bandits. Brian Terry was part of a team of five other agents who were approached by five bandits.

Gunshots were exchanged and Terry was shot in the back by an AK-47. He died of his wounds while being helicoptered out of the mountains. He did manage to shoot and wound one of the bandits. Four of them were captured and will receive the death sentence for killing a federal agent if convicted. One bandit remains at large and is believed to have escaped into Mexico.

Terry’s parents Kent Terry and Carolyn Terry said their son lived for adventure. He was a six-year Marine veteran who served in the Gulf War and a police officer for five years in the Detroit area. The 6-foot, 2-inch, 220-pound Terry took a sharp career diversion after being a police officer and spent five years selling real estate.

“That wasn’t exciting enough for him, so he applied for the Border Patrol,” Carolyn Terry said.

Brian Terry was scheduled to fly home Friday, Dec. 17 for Christmas.

“He was supposed to be home (Friday) for 10 days,” Kent Terry said. “(He said) I’m going to be at your house, Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day.”

“It was the first time he was going to be home for the holidays since he left,” Carolyn Terry added.

Brian Terry was a soldier through and through. Carolyn Terry recalled a time when he was in BORTAC training and a captain thought he had made a mistake. His punishment was to carry a fellow agent that weighed 240 pounds in full gear three miles on his back.

“He said it was 10 times worse than the Marine Corps training he went through,” Kent Terry said of the BORTAC training, of which only about 12 people each year complete.

He did it without complaint, in large part because of his admiration for his father.

Kent Terry was paralyzed from the neck down in an accident 16 years ago. Carolyn said a good friend of Brian Terry’s in Arizona said he often spoke of his admiration for his father, who beat the odds and learned to walk again.

“She told Kent that Brian always told her, ‘I’m a Mama’s boy, but my Dad’s my hero,’” Carolyn Terry said.

“Of all the 400 agents, no one can believe it’s Brian that got shot. When they needed something done the best, they sent Brian,” Carolyn Terry added.

Kent Terry said his son faithfully called him before and after every mission, to tell him he was okay.

“Lots of times when he was going out, we’d ask where are you going, but he couldn’t tell us,” Kent Terry said. “We always told each other we loved each other, no matter what, on the phone, when he was here.”

The last time Brian talked with his parents was Saturday night, after yet another mission, to tell them he was fine.

Kent Terry fondly remembers his son’s last trip home, a little more than three weeks ago just before Thanksgiving. He and Brian spent time cruising around in Kent’s 1934 Ford street rod.

“He was a great son,” Kent Terry said. “He cared about his dad.”

Brian’s older sister, Michelle Terry-Balogh, 42, told The Associated Press that her brother’s dream was to be a federal agent, and that he loved his job. “It was his life,” she said. “He said it was very dangerous, but he loved what he did and wanted to make a difference.”

She said Brian had focused all his life on his career, but had recently met someone special in Michigan and was hoping to have children someday.

Carolyn Terry will remember Brian’s sweet tooth, and how every trip home she baked him a cake that he took back in his backpack. Every two months, she sent him one as well.

“He’s just like a kid till he puts that uniform on, and then he’s a man,” Carolyn Terry said.

Kent Terry also recalled memories from Brian’s childhood. One in particular was when Brian was young, just 6 or 7, and spray painted his great-uncle’s brand new car with his older brother Kent.

“All you could see was these two little hands going back and forth on that car. We were sitting on the porch and my uncle said to me, ‘what are they doing?’ And I said, they’re probably just playing. And I said, let me call the, and he said, ‘ah, let them play.’ They had got a spray paint can out of his garage and was spraying the car,” Kent Terry said.

Brian Terry’s body will be flown into Detroit Metro Airport Saturday, Dec. 18 at 6:45 p.m. Visitation is planned for Monday, Dec. 22 and Tuesday, Dec. 23 at the John Molnar Funeral Home in Southgate, Mich. He will be buried in Michigan Memorial cemetery in New Boston, Mich. Wednesday Dec. 24.

Carolyn Terry said thousands are expected to attend the funeral including Brian Terry’s fellow Border agents, Marines and police officers. His name will be added to the Fallen Soldiers Monument in Washington, D.C. in May.

The Terry’s said they will most remember the son whose fellow soldiers called him ‘T’ as someone who loved his job, loved people and loved his country.

“He loved people, he loved America. He said, ‘Dad, this is the greatest country in the world,’” Kent Terry said.
The Associated Press and Nogales International contributed to this story.

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“Of all the 400 agents, no one can believe it’s Brian that got shot. When they needed something done the best, they sent Brian” Carolyn Terry, Brian’s stepmother

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Name: Brian A. Terry
Age: 40
Home: Naco, Arizona.
Professional: Served three years in the U.S. Marine Corps before being honorably discharged in 1994. Was a police officer in Ecorse and Lincoln Park before joining the Border Patrol in July 2007.
Family: Single. survived by mother, Josephine Terry, his father, Kent Terry; stepmother, Carolyn Terry; sisters, Michelle (Michael) Terry-Balogh and Kelly (Ron) Willis, brother, Kent Terry and grandmother Agatha Staugl.
Visitation: 3-9 p.m. Monday and noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday at John Molnar Funeral Home, Brownstone Chapel. www.molnarfuneralhome.com.
Service: 11 a.m Tuesday at Greater Grace Temple Church, 23500 W. 7 Mile Road, Detroit, 48219.

Details remain sketchy in BP agent’s murder case

Published Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:01 AM CST

The family of Brian A. Terry is preparing to say its last goodbyes to the fallen Border Patrol agent with a memorial service Wednesday in Michigan. Meanwhile in Arizona, federal officials remain tight-lipped about the details of his death.

The FBI, the lead investigative agency in the case, has released no additional information since its initial statement that Terry, a member of an elite SWAT-type team, was shot during an armed encounter late on Dec. 14 in the Rio Rico area. The Border Patrol has added to that account only to say that the encounter was with a group of five men, and that four were detained (one was wounded) while another remains at large.

However, Terry’s stepmother told the Green Valley News that Terry was shot in the back, and most likely with an AK-47.

Television news crews descended on Monsoon Court near Circulo Sombrero in Rio Rico following Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry's fatal shooting last week. Photo / Terry Keton

(Use arrows above to view more photos)

Reached by phone at her home in Michigan, Carol Terry said the Border Patrol told the family that at about 11 p.m. Tuesday, the agents saw a group of five “pirates” approaching them in Peck Canyon. At first, it appeared the men weren’t armed, but at least two carried AK-47s, she said.

In the ensuing gunfight, Terry was shot in the back, the bullet piercing his protective vest and tearing through his pelvis. Although critically wounded, he was able to call for help, telling fellow agents that he had been shot. Then he lost consciousness.

A team with an EMT arrived almost immediately, and a helicopter lifted Terry out of the area within minutes. But the damage was too great and he died in the helicopter en route to a hospital.

Asked Monday if he could confirm the details of Carol Terry’s account, Mario Escalante, a spokesman with the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector referred all questions to the FBI. But FBI spokesman Manuel Johnson declined to confirm the account, or discuss other details in the case, such as the identities of the suspects in custody, their nationalities, whether they’ve been charged, and the status of the manhunt for the fifth suspect.

“The investigation remains ongoing and we are not releasing any information at this time,” Johnson told the Nogales International in an e-mail response.

During a meeting Friday with the editorial board of The Arizona Republic, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano confirmed one fact of the case that had been widely known already: Terry’s elite BORTAC team was tracking a group of border bandits when the shooting began.

“They were seeking to apprehend what’s called a ‘rip crew,’ which is a name given to a crew that is organized to seek to rip off people who are drug mules or traversing the border illegally,” Napolitano told the newspaper’s editorial board. “That’s why they were in that area.”

In the absence of more detailed information from the authorities, some media outlets have filled the gaps with unconfirmed details and rumors. One rumor, that Terry’s team had been armed only with “bean-bag” rounds or rubber bullets, gained enough traction that the Border Patrol agent’s Local 2544 union felt compelled to refute it on its website.

Service planned

Terry was supposed to be at home in Michigan with his family this weekend. He planned to fly out Friday. Instead, his family will hold a memorial service on Wednesday.

“We just can’t believe it,” Carol Terry said. “It simply doesn’t seem real to us, and we’re devastated.”

Terry’s body was flown back to Michigan on Saturday. On the way to the airport early Saturday morning, four motorcyclists serving as escorts crashed, injuring one rider.

Tucson police spokesman Sgt. Matt Ronstadt told KGUN-TV that the members of the Arizona Rangers collided after some sort of traffic slowdown. The injured rider was taken to a hospital for evaluation of what appeared to be minor injuries.

(Reporting by Jeannie Applegate, Jonathan Clark and The Associated Press.)

Border Patrol team battles group west of Rio Rico; 4 in custody

Gunfire kills US agent in area where bandits prey

Brady McCombs and Fernanda Echavarri Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Thursday, December 16, 2010 12:00 am

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COURTESY OF MICHELLE TERRY-BALOGH Agent Brian A. Terry, 40, was killed as he and fellow agents exchanged gunfire with suspected bandits in a remote area west of Rio Rico, the FBI said.

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U.S. border patrol agent killed in shootout

By Catholic Online
12/16/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Incident points to increasing violence along the U.S. - Mexican border

A U.S. Border Patrol agent died this week in a gun battle with heavily armed suspects awaiting a drug load north of the Arizona-Mexico border. The FBI told television reporters that 40-year-old Brian A. Terry and three other agents confronted five bandits Tuesday night north of Nogales, near Rio Rico.

Agent Brian A. Terry was killed late Tuesday near Rio Rico, Ariz., according to a statement released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent died this week in a gun battle with heavily armed suspects awaiting a drug load north of the Arizona-Mexico border. The FBI told television reporters that 40-year-old Brian A. Terry and three other agents confronted five bandits Tuesday night north of Nogales, near Rio Rico.
The leader of a union representing agents said the agents were trying to catch bandits who target illegal immigrants. No other agents were injured. National Border Patrol Council President T.J. Bonner said one of the suspects was wounded in the shootout.
Authorities have four suspects in custody, including one in the hospital, and were searching for a fifth.
The FBI and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office are investigating the shooting.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano both said the killing was a reminder of the threats and dangers lurking along the border.
Brewer said the state was shocked and saddened by Terry's slaying and that "our prayers are with his family" and all agents and their families.
"Although we needed no reminder of the ever increasing dangers along our southern border, this tragedy serves as stark notice that the threats facing all who serve in protecting our state and nation are real, and are increasing on a daily basis," she said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Terry family for their tragic loss," Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Alan Bersin says. "Our commitment to Agent Terry and his family is that we will do everything possible to bring to justice those responsible for this despicable act."
Terry was a native of Detroit and is survived by his parents, a brother and two sisters.

Brian Terry: Key Facts About the Border Patrol Agent Killed in Arizona

(Dec. 15) -- Authorities continue to search today for a fifth suspect in the death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry, who was shot during a gun fight late Tuesday night. Terry, 40, and a team of agents were in a remote part of the desert last night trying to track down a group of thieves who were believed to have been...

Authorities Hunt Suspect After Border Patrol Agent Killed

(Dec. 15) -- Authorities in Arizona have four suspects in custody and are hunting for a fifth man after a shootout that killed a U.S. Border Patrol agent near the town of Nogales. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was fatally shot Tuesday night after he and other agents encountered a group of suspected bandits in a remote...

Former Metro Detroit police officer killed in Mexico border battle

Published: Thursday, December 16, 2010, 7:03 AM Updated: Thursday, December 16, 2010, 7:07 AM

By The Associated Press
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AP PhotoThis undated photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian A. Terry. Terry was fatally shot north of the Arizona-Mexico border while trying to catch bandits who target illegal immigrants, the leader of a union representing agents said Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010.

A shootout between border patrol agents and bandits in the rugged canyons near Mexico's border left one officer dead and a suspect injured, a union official said Wednesday, the latest outburst of violence along the busiest smuggling corridor into the U.S.

The killing in southeastern Arizona was a stark reminder of the complicated nature of border security: It was Brian A. Terry's job to turn back illegal border crossers, but he was apparently killed by bandits who prey on those same migrants.

"This is a sign that the politicians and bureaucrats are overly optimistic in their assessment that the borders are more secure now than at any point in our history," said T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents 17,000 agents.

Terry, 40, was part of a team of officers whose job was to drop into hotspots, and quell the violence.

The shooting took place about 13 miles north of the border, near Nogales late Tuesday night, at the bottom of a flat canyon with scattered oak trees and knee-high grass. Rugged trails through mountains make the spot difficult to reach.

Terry was waiting with three other agents when a gun battle with bandits began, Bonner said.

Terry and the other agents came across a group of five people. There was no sign that they were hauling drugs, but two were carrying rifles, said Border Patrol Agent Brandon Judd, president of the local agents' union. Judd said he did not know what prompted the firefight.

No other agents were injured, but one of the suspects was wounded. Bonner said the wounded suspect was from Mexico, but the country of origin of the remaining suspects hasn't been publicly released.

Bonner and Judd said their accounts were based on information they got from agents in the field.

The Border Patrol and the FBI have refused to confirm the details of Bonner's account, beyond saying that authorities have four suspects in custody and are searching for a fifth. At a Border Patrol news conference on Wednesday, officials released few details.

Bandits have operated at the border for decades, robbing and sexually assaulting illegal immigrants crossing into the country.

The bandits stake out heavily traveled smuggling paths used by illegal immigrants and sneak up on them, pointing guns, forcing border-crossers to the ground and stealing all their valuables. Bandits, however, avoid run-ins with drug smugglers.

"You won't have much of a life expectancy if you play around with the cartels," Bonner said.

Terry, a former Marine and Michigan police officer, was part of an elite squad similar to a police SWAT team that was sent to the remote areas north of Nogales known for border banditry, drug smuggling and violence.

"His dream all his life was to be a federal agent," Terry's sister, Michelle Terry-Balogh, 42, told The Associated Press from Flat Rock, Mich., just outside Detroit. "It was always 'I want to be a cop, I want to get the bad guys.'"

After he left the Marine Corps, Terry got a degree in criminal justice and then worked as a police officer in Ecorse and Lincoln Park, both in Michigan, she said. Terry joined the Border Patrol three years ago, and Terry-Balogh said he just loved it.

"It was his life," she said. "He said it was very dangerous but he loved what he did and wanted to make a difference."

She said Terry had focused all his life on his career, but had recently met someone special in Michigan and was hoping to have children someday. He also had planned to fly out Friday for a 10-day visit with his family in Michigan.

The last time an agent was killed in the line of duty was in September. Agent Michael Gallagher died in a wreck during a patrol in Arizona.

"It is a stark reminder of the very real dangers our men and women on the front lines confront every day as they protect our communities and the American people," said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. She said last October that the border was more secure than ever before.

Napolitano plans to be in Arizona on Thursday and Friday to meet with Border Patrol agents in Nogales and Tucson.

The shooting occurred in the Border Patrol's Tucson sector, the busiest gateway for illegal immigrants into the United States. Half of the marijuana seizures along the 1,969-mile southern border are made in the sector, which covers 262 miles of the boundary.

As the busiest illegal entry point for drugs and immigrants into the U.S., Arizona has become the backdrop of the heated immigration debate.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who has criticized the federal government's efforts to secure the border and signed Arizona's illegal-immigration law this year, said the killing reminded people of "the threats facing all who serve in protecting our state and nation."

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Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry United States Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border Protection – Border Patrol U.S. Government End of Watch: Wednesday, December 15, 2010

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Published: Thursday, December 16, 2010, 7:03 AM Updated: Thursday, December 16, 2010, 7:07 AM