El Paso border vandalism shootings break windows, target drivers bound for Mexico

Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times
·2 min read

Mexico-bound drivers in El Paso are being targeted in a BB-shooting spree while waiting in long lines to get to Bridge of the Americas.

Car windows have been shattered in incidents dating back to at least mid-December on the southbound highway lanes near the international port, authorities said.

The vandalism rash is not on the border bridge itself but appears to take place on the U.S. 54/Interstate 10 route to Juárez near Zavala Elementary School in South El Paso, according to victims' accounts on social media and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

"This can be dangerous," one victim posted in Spanish earlier this month, saying their vehicle's side window was shot out.

A vandalism spree has been targeting vehicles waiting in line to enter Mexico. An aerial view shows traffic leading to the Bridge of the Americas international port of entry into Juárez from El Paso at the Spaghetti Bowl on Feb. 10, 2021.
A vandalism spree has been targeting vehicles waiting in line to enter Mexico. An aerial view shows traffic leading to the Bridge of the Americas international port of entry into Juárez from El Paso at the Spaghetti Bowl on Feb. 10, 2021.

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CBP officers at the Bridge of the Americas received reports from travelers who advised that their car windows were hit by possible BB or pellet gun fire on Dec. 15 and 16, CBP spokesman Roger Maier said.

The border bridge wait-line criminal mischief has continued into the new year.

There have been four incidents reported to El Paso police between Jan. 12-19, occurring between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. during the evening traffic rush, a police spokesman said this week. There were no injuries reported.

None of the drivers stopped at the scene and all the cases were only later reported, police said. None of victims reported seeing any shooting suspect or knew where the projectiles where fired from.

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"It is important for persons to call in at the time of the incidents so that units can be dispatched to the area at that time. It will be inconvenient and people may be hesitant to do so because they will be asked to get out of line and drive to a location to meet an officer," police said in an emailed statement.

El Paso police have assigned extra patrols in the neighborhood where the shootings have occurred near the Bridge of the Americas, officials said.

The international bridge is is also named the Córdova Bridge and is commonly referred to as the "Free Bridge," or "Puente Libre," because there is no toll charge.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at 915-546-6102; dborunda@elpasotimes.com; @BorundaDaniel on Twitter.

Who to call

• Anyone with information on the border shooting vandalism spree may call El Paso police at 915-832-4400, may anonymously call Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 (TIPS) or leave a tip online at crimestoppersofelpaso.org.

• If you are a victim of a crime in progress, call 911.

• Criminal mischief reports, when its not an emergency and no one was injured, can be made Monday to Friday by calling the police Telephone Reporting Unit at 915-832-4436

The Bridge of the Americas, commonly known as the "Free Bridge" or "Puente Libre," stretches over the Rio Grande between Juárez and El Paso.
The Bridge of the Americas, commonly known as the "Free Bridge" or "Puente Libre," stretches over the Rio Grande between Juárez and El Paso.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso border drivers hit in rash of window-shattering shootings