MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Police shot and killed an off-duty Border Patrol agent who fired at officers from a car early Sunday in McAllen, officials said.
McAllen police said in a news release that 25-year-old Ronaldo Alvarado, a Brownsville resident, died Sunday, July 30.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson confirmed to ValleyCentral that Alvarado was a U.S. Border Patrol agent assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Sector’s Rio Grande City Station.
“The McAllen Police Department is the lead agency investigating this tragedy,” the CBP spokesperson said. “Our prayers go out to the agent’s family, friends, and the McAllen Police Department.”
Early Sunday morning, authorities received a call stating a man, believed to be Alvarado, was highly intoxicated and being extremely aggressive on the 2900 block of North 24th Street.
The caller said Alvarado had a gun and was being aggressive. She then told police Alvarado was leaving the location in a maroon Dodge Charger.
Police later found Alvardo traveling along the 1700 block of North 23rd Street and initiated a traffic stop.
That is when Alvarado began shooting at officers, McAllen police said.
“The Responding Officer[s] saw what appeared gunfire flash from within the suspect vehicle and driver side door glass breakage from apparent gunfire,” police said.
Alvarado then tried driving away. Officials say he was going south at a slow speed when an officer fired twice at Alvarado.
“The Responding Officer appeared to have struck the rear windshield frame of the suspect vehicle,” police said.
Alvarado continued to drive at a slow southbound speed and onto a private parking lot before crashing into a fence approximately four blocks away from the traffic stop.
When officers located the vehicle, police said, they found Alvarado slumped over with a gunshot wound to his head.
“The suspect appeared to have suffered an entry and exit gunshot wound to the temple area of his forehead.”
Authorities provided Alvarado with emergency medical assistance.
Police located Alvarado’s weapon next to him.
The officer who fired his weapon — Jimmy Gonzalez — has been with McAllen police for over two years.
An investigation into the shooting continues.
