Additional Coverage:
- Wisconsin man who fled Border Patrol checkpoint in stolen car killed after shootout in Texas, police say (foxnews.com)
Fatal Shootout in Texas After Stolen Vehicle Flees Border Patrol Checkpoint
A high-speed chase and exchange of gunfire in a remote area of West Texas on Wednesday resulted in the death of a Wisconsin man driving a stolen vehicle. The incident began when the suspect, identified as James Douglas McMillan, 33, of Greenfield, Wisconsin, fled a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint.
The dramatic events unfolded around 10:30 a.m. at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint, located in the Big Bend Sector between El Paso and Van Horn. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), a Border Patrol drug K-9 alerted to McMillan’s vehicle, prompting agents to direct him to a secondary inspection. Instead, McMillan sped away from the checkpoint, initiating a pursuit.
During the ensuing car chase, McMillan allegedly opened fire from his vehicle at DPS troopers and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies, as well as civilian vehicles. Law enforcement officers returned fire. DPS troopers ultimately performed a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver, successfully bringing the suspect’s vehicle to a stop.
McMillan then barricaded himself inside the vehicle. Authorities stated that he later pointed his weapon towards officers, leading to officers opening fire, fatally wounding him. No law enforcement officers or civilians were injured during the incident.
Investigators determined that the vehicle McMillan was driving had been reported stolen in Arizona. The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the shooting, with assistance from the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol.
This incident marks the latest in a series of confrontations with individuals fleeing authorities in the border region. In January, a man suspected of smuggling illegal immigrants in Arizona was shot by federal officers during a gunfire exchange.
Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, allegedly shot at a CBP helicopter and agents after fleeing on foot. Schlegel, a U.S. citizen from Arizona, survived after undergoing surgery, and no other individuals were harmed in that incident.