George Alan Kelly is a 75-year-old rancher who lived for more than a decade on a 170-acre property in Kino Springs, Arizona, which is just over a mile from the southern border. On January 13, 2023, Kelly sent a text message to his son, telling him that he had spotted “33 drug runners” on the property.
The message itself was nothing out of the ordinary. For years, Kelly had made similar complaints about illegal migrants trespassing at his ranch on their way into the United States. Sometimes, Kelly told his family members, these migrants were armed. But on this particular occasion, Kelly made an unusual request. He asked his son if he could drive up and help defend the property. His son replied, “Nope. Be careful.” Kelly’s next text: “Careful is not an option. It is either fight or run, and I’m too old to run. Mom is locked and loaded also.”
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