A man who was shot and later died when U.S. Border Patrol agents opened fire at a group of men in a car after a pursuit came to an end at a gas station in Campo has been identified, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said.
The Medical Examiner's Office identified the man as Silvestre Vargas Estrada, 26, a resident of San Diego. Estrada did sustain a gunshot wound to the torso, but the preliminary cause and manner of death are pending further examination of medical records, SDSO Lt. Thomas Seiver said.
The incident began Friday just before 10:30 p.m. when Border Patrol agents attempted to stop a vehicle suspected of being involved in migrant smuggling. The driver of the vehicle did not stop, and after a short pursuit, they ended at a gas station parking lot near the intersection of State Route 94 and Buckman Springs Road. There, a "confrontation" ensued and three agents opened fire, SDSO said.
The driver of the vehicle, Estrada, was the only one of three of the car's occupants that was struck by gunfire,
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Estrada was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where he later died.
Agencies haven't detailed what led up to the shooting. SDSO's Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation, which is ongoing.
Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to contact SDSO's Homicide Unit at (858) 285-6330. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting CrimeStoppers at (888) 580-8477.
