Spear Thrown at Border Patrol Agents

An attempted assault with a rock and a homemade spear was made against Border Patrol agents in the Yuma Sector who were trying to apprehend 15 illegal immigrants.

Around 5 a.m. today, agents in the Boat Patrol Unit were assisting agents along the Colorado River in capturing the group, and as they closed in, the group scattered and fled into surrounding brush. One man, suspected to be the group's smuggler, entered the shallow water along the river bank and allegedly threw a rock at agents in the boat, but missed them, according to a Border Patrol press release.

When the boat moved closer to the apparent smuggler, he allegedly threw a homemade spear at one of the agents, which also missed, the release said.

An agent used a substance similar to pepper spray to stop the spear-thrower, who crawled out of the water and into nearby brush before agents could catch him. He and two others fled to Mexico and five others fled shortly after them. Agents were able to apprehend eight people during their search for the remaining members of the group, the release said.

The eight illegal immigrants were transported to the Yuma Border Patrol station for processing.