Man killed after exchanging gunfire with Border Patrol agents in Texas

A man was killed after exchanging gunfire with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in southern Texas, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The McAllen Police Department received a call reporting shots heard in the area of the U.S. Border Patrol McAllen Station at around 5:53 a.m., the FBI said in a statement. The police department alerted the FBI’s San Antonio division and responded to the scene.

“The armed suspect, an adult male, engaged the law enforcement officers responding to the scene and officers returned fire,” the FBI said in the statement, adding that one responding officer was injured in the gunfire and “transported to a local hospital for treatment.”

The officer is in stable condition, the statement added.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the suspect opened fire at the entrance of the federal government building, and border patrol agents and local police “helped neutralize the shooter.”

A border patrol employee and two officers were injured in the shooting, according to Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, who added that one of them was shot in the knee. All were taken to a hospital.

The incident is not an active shooter situation and there is no threat to public safety, according to the FBI.

“However, out of an abundance of caution, the FBI asks that the public avoid the area if possible,” the FBI said. “The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure the safety of this community.”

A motive is not clear at this time.

McAllen International Airport resumed full operations Monday afternoon “following a temporary closure due to off-airport safety concerns,” the city of McAllen said in a Facebook post.

“We appreciate the community’s patience as we prioritized safety during the closure,” McAllen City Manager Isaac J. Tawil said.