,newsnation) – Criminal cartels are offering to pay $10,000 to any shooter who commits a mass shooting in the US border Patrol agents at the southern border, federal officials said in an internal communication.
NewsNation correspondent Ali Bradley obtained a copy of the alert Friday. This is what the Border Patrol says Rio Grande Valley Sector Information was received about “a coordinated attack” in which the cartels may offer a $10,000 payment to “individuals who fired on the agents.”
“Additional reporting suggests the attackers may be wearing Mexican military uniforms to avoid suspicion while carrying long weapons or machine guns,” the alert said. “Although this threat is specifically related to RGV [Rio Grande Valley] sector, this reflects increased cartel frustrations that could spill over to the southwest border.
According to the communication, the threat is believed to have originated from northern Sonora, Mexico.
“Agents should remain aware of potential danger and increase surveillance of their surroundings while conducting operations,” the memo said.
Border Patrol stations in Brownsville and Kingsville were the initial targets, sources said. The Rio Grande Valley Sector consists of nine stations covering more than 34,000 square miles of southeast Texas.
This is not the first time that criminal cartels have reportedly offered financial incentives to cause harm to US federal officials. Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security Said Mexican cartels made an offer level reward System for tampering, assaulting and kidnapping Border Patrol agents and ICE officers. Reports also indicated that criminals were offering $50,000 to assassinate high-ranking federal officials.
