Man shot dead near southern border after fleeing, opening fire

A man was shot and killed by law enforcement following a high-speed pursuit and exchange of gunfire near the southern border and close to El Paso, Texas, according to the state Department of Public Safety (DPS).

James Douglas McMillan, 33, of Greenfield, Wisconsin, sped away from a Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 10 near Sierra Blanca after a drug-detection dog alerted officers to his vehicle about 10:30 a.m. CT, Texas DPS said.

Officials said McMillan fired from the vehicle at pursuing officers and civilian cars on the highway. Officers returned fire, and DPS troopers eventually used a maneuver to stop the vehicle about 70 miles from where the pursuit began, according to DPS.

“McMillan barricaded himself in his vehicle and eventually pointed his weapon towards officers – officers then discharged their weapons. He was then shot and killed by law enforcement. No law enforcement officers or civilians were injured.”

The pursuit involved troopers from the Texas Highway Patrol, aircraft from the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Aviation Operations Division, and officers from the Culberson County Sheriff’s Office, Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office and the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), authorities said.

It was not immediately clear which agency fired the fatal shot

“McMillan barricaded himself in his vehicle and eventually pointed his weapon towards officers – officers then discharged their weapons,” a DPS spokesperson told Newsweek.