Man Killed by Border Patrol Agent in Rock-Throwing Incident

The Feb. 18 shooting took place along Otay Mountain Truck Trail

The man shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent has been identified as a Mexican national with a criminal past, officials said Thursday.

Jesus Flores-Cruz, 42, was shot twice around 6:40 a.m. Tuesday along Otay Mountain Truck Trail near Alta Road, southeast of Otay Reservoir and east of State Route 125.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent said he fired the shots because Flores-Cruz was throwing rocks and boulders at him during a foot pursuit.

San Diego County sheriff's deputies investigating the shooting said the agent feared for his life when he fired at least two shots from his duty weapon.

Officials confirmed the identity of Flores-Cruz using fingerprints from a 1996 arrest by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency.

Flores-Cruz died at the scene.

The agent involved in the shooting was treated for injuries to his face from one of the rocks.

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