An investigation was underway Sunday into the death of a man who collapsed and died during a scuffle with Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry over the weekend.
The confrontation began around 9:15 p.m. Sunday when the 61-year-old U.S. citizen, later identified as Julio Marcos Gonzalez, tried to enter the United States by walking through exit doors in a pedestrian-processing area at the border station, according to San Diego police.
When security personnel approached Gonzalez and directed him toward the entrance to the facility, he was uncooperative and got into a struggle with them, SDPD Lt. Andra Brown said.
After being detained and taken to a detention room, the man began having difficulty breathing and became unresponsive, Brown said. CBP personnel and paramedics tried to revive the man before pronouncing him dead at the scene.
SDPD said several CBP officers were involved in contacting the male but did not release any names.
SDPD's homicide unit will be investigating the circumstances of the death, as is standard practice in these types of cases. Their conclusions will be analyzed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The county Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause of death.
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"The investigation and review process for an in-custody death is extremely thorough,'' Brown said.
The federal customs agency will also investigate the fatality, according to CBP officials.
"Per CBP policy, the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility will review the incident,'' the agency asserted in a prepared statement. "The care of individuals in CBP custody is paramount, and we are committed to the health and safety of those in our custody.''
