Autopsy: Border Patrol agent stabbed migrant to death during incident

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - A migrant died after he was stabbed by a Border Patrol agent during an incident in Cochise County early in the morning on May 24.

According to an autopsy report that was released Friday, June 17, Mexican national Abigail Roman Aguilar had two run-ins with agents on the day he died.

First, Abigail got tangled up in barb wire while running away from an agent. The 5-foot-1, 122-pound Abigail was taken to the hospital for treatment.

After he was discharged, Abigail was allegedly involved in an altercation with another agent.

The agent allegedly stabbed Abigail in his chest, which was ruled to be the cause of death.

Abigail also suffered blunt force injuries to his head, body, and arms/legs.

In the autopsy report, the manner of death was listed as a homicide. This does not necessarily mean a crime was committed, only that one person caused the death of another. The incident is now being reviewed.

KOLD has reached out to CBP and the FBI for comment. CBP said they will not release any further information, as the FBI is now handling the investigation.

Here is the intitial statement:

On May 24, 2022, at approximately 12:43 a.m., a U.S. Border Patrol agent working near Pan-American Avenue and 5th Street in Douglas, Arizona, was involved in a use of force incident which resulted in the death of an individual in Border Patrol custody.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, the Douglas Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation responded to the scene. This incident is under investigation by the FBI and any inquiries should be directed to that office.

This incident is under review by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility and at the conclusion of that review, it will be presented to CBP’s National Use of Force Review Board. Additional information about the National Use of Force Review Board can be found at https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/cbp-use-force/case-summaries.