Shots Fired as 26 Russians Attempt to Crash Through Border Crossing

SAN YSIDRO, CA – The following statement pertains to a use of force incident which occurred on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, at the San Ysidro, CA, Port of Entry, along the border between San Diego and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.  This information is based on a preliminary review by Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

On Dec. 12, 2021, at approximately 9:33 p.m., PST, a Ford SUV followed by a Mercedes sedan traveling together approached the primary inspection area at the San Ysidro, Calif., Port of Entry from Mexico at a high rate of speed.  A CBP Officer conducting pre-primary inspections walking in a pre-primary lane fired approximately four rounds, striking the Mercedes sedan. The Mercedes sedan collided into the Ford SUV, which had come to an abrupt stop.

Both the Ford SUV and the Mercedes sedan contained a total of 18 undocumented migrants, who were all citizens of Russia.  As a result of the collision, two of the occupants in the Mercedes sedan suffered minor head contusions; however, no injuries resulted from the gun fire.  The group included 12 individuals in the first vehicle to cross the border (seven adults, ages 21-53 and five children, ranging from less than a year to age 5) and six people in the second vehicle (four adults ages 24-43 and two children, ages 10 and 14.)

The use of force incident is currently being investigated by the San Diego Police Department and the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility.  

The drivers of both vehicles (both men, ages 29 and 24) have been arrested and are pending charges for under Title 8, United States Code Section 1324.

Multiple lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry were closed where the incident occurred.  The lanes were re-opened at approximately 5:30 a.m. Monday morning.

All incidents involving the use or attempted use of deadly force are reviewed by CBP’s National Use of Force Review Board.  The NUFRB will review the uses of force to assess whether the actions of CBP personnel involved in the incident complied with all relevant agency policies.  The results of each NUFRB are published on CBP’s public website.

At the same time as the use of force incident, a third vehicle also crossed the San Ysidro Port of Entry using a different lane and traveling with the flow of normal traffic.  The third vehicle, a black Dodge Durango, was transporting eight individuals who were also determined to be citizens of Russia with no documents to enter the United States.  The group of eight individuals included five adults ages 20-34, one five-year-old, and one 17-year-old.