A National Guardsman opened fire early Tuesday at a car suspected of being used by smugglers that barreled toward him and other troops assigned to border security in Texas.
The Texas National Guard troops were part of Operation Lone Star — a state-run mission to combat human and drug smuggling. It integrates the Texas Department of Public Safety and the National Guard to “deny Mexican cartels and other smugglers the ability to move drugs and people into Texas,” according to Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.
About 1 a.m. Tuesday, the Guard troops spotted a car that appeared to be involved in human trafficking outside of Laredo, Texas. The soldiers approached the vehicle and identified themselves, according to sources in Austin.
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The driver then drove toward the soldiers in an apparent attempt to run them down. That’s when one of the troops opened fire, state officials said.
There were no reported injuries, and the driver was taken into custody.
The shooting is being investigated by the Texas Rangers, the state detective agency, a Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said.