The in-custody death of a 38-year-old Mexican national who was arrested by federal officers at the U.S.-Mexico border in Otay Mesa after allegedly sneaking into the United States was under investigation Thursday.
On Wednesday, at around 1:45 p.m. a border patrol remote camera operator spotted nine suspected undocumented persons crossing into the U.S. in an industrial area west of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, CBP said in a statement. Border Patrol agents responded to the area and arrested a 38-year-old citizen of Mexico north of the secondary border barrier.
The man was placed in a border patrol vehicle and transported to the port of entry for processing. After arriving at the port of entry, the man became ill and unresponsive, CBP said. An emergency medical technician was called and used an automated external defibrillator and performed CPR on the man.
The San Diego Fire Department arrived at the scene and took over lifesaving efforts, however, the man was pronounced dead around 3:30 p.m.
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The cause of the death was not yet known.
SDPD said only one U.S. Border Patrol agent was involved in the initial arrest. He was identified only as an agent employed for 18 years.
The incident is being investigated by the San Diego Police Department and is being reviewed by the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office and CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility. The incident will also be reviewed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, CBP said.
