An “unknown subject” dropped a 4-year-old boy while scaling a roughly 30-foot tall border barrier in San Diego, new surveillance footage reveals.
The video, captured on Monday, then shows the person descending the barrier before joining the young child and another young migrant. Another adult migrant then comes down the wall to join the other three.
Agents and emergency medical service arrived at the scene shortly after but reported hearing gunfire near their position while tending to the child, a tweet from the Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol Raul Ortiz explains.
A 4-year-old was dropped from the border barrier by an unknown subject in San Diego, Monday. Responding Agents and EMS providing first aid to the child also reported gunshots near their position while tending to the child. Remarkably, the child is ok! Do not trust smugglers! pic.twitter.com/MlOp2qka72
— Chief Raul Ortiz (@USBPChief) May 22, 2023
The four migrants were told to take cover from gunfire as a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter rushed to the scene to provide air cover. Mexican law enforcement also responded to the incident, rushing to secure their side of the border where it was believed that the gunfire originated.
“Remarkably, the child is ok!” Ortiz wrote in his tweet sharing the video. He also warned migrants, “Do not trust smugglers.”
It has not yet been confirmed whether the two adult migrants are related to the children. The nationality of the migrants is also currently unknown.
CBP spokesperson Michael Scappechio explained that while attempts to climb over the border wall occur daily, it is uncommon for young children to be involved in such crossings.
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While these migrants were apprehended, it is unclear whether they will be released into the United States.
Meanwhile, it is estimated that a staggering 1.5 million illegal migrant gotaways have entered the United States since President Joe Biden took office in 2021. An estimated 415,000 total gotaways were reported for 2018, 2019, and 2020 under the Trump administration.
A recent poll from CBS News found that only 37 % of Americans approve of Biden’s handling of the situation at the U.S. southern border, while 63% disapprove.