A routine patrol in Mexican border city Juárez took a tragic turn on Tuesday when a freak accident involving a high-powered rifle left three Mexican National Guard soldiers dead.
Authorities say the soldiers were patrolling in a pickup truck along Avenida Ejército Nacional in Central Juárez amid a dust storm when the fatal incident occurred.
According to a National Guard incident report obtained by Border Report, a guardsman stationed in the back of the truck allegedly spotted a vehicle carrying armed men coming from the opposite direction. In response, he disengaged the safety on his assault rifle—but the weapon discharged almost immediately.
The bullet struck downward, piercing the truck's cab and fatally wounding the driver, identified as Luis Daniel S.C. With no one at the wheel, the vehicle crashed at high speed into a utility pole, killing two more guardsmen on impact. Three others were injured in the crash.
Authorities have not yet identified the two other deceased soldiers or the guardsman responsible for the accidental discharge. However, Juárez municipal police confirmed that the shooter survived the crash.
The tragic accident raises fresh concerns about the risks of militarized law enforcement in volatile border regions. At the time of reporting, National Guard officials had not issued a public statement regarding the incident.
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