A suspected migrant jumped from an overpass in El Paso near UTEP – and several others were detained Wednesday after a police chase, The New York Post reported with exclusive photos.
The group, traveling in an all-terrain vehicle, led Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) agents to US Route 85 near Spur 1966 – which connects the University of Texas at El Paso with other roads – about 9:45 a.m., according to photographs published by The Post and an eyewitness account. They then allegedly abandoned the vehicle in the middle of the road.
According to the note, signed by Stephany Pagones and MaryAnn Martinez, the passengers scattered and several ran into oncoming traffic, the witness said. Meanwhile, two others ran in a different direction. One of the men ran to the edge of an overpass and jumped off the structure, plummeting approximately 100 feet (30.5 meters) to the ground, the witness said.
The second followed, but an officer eventually caught up with him, photos show.
The witness said that the police administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the immobile man for more than 25 minutes. Details about his condition were not immediately available.
The remainder were later detained, the photos show. Border Patrol agents (USBP) were also seen at the scene.
A DPS spokesperson could not immediately provide The Post with information related to the incident. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) representative said the agency was not involved.
El Paso has a population of more than 867,000, according to census data. This West Texas city, which borders Mexico, became the center of the ongoing immigration crisis during 2022, as it was the busiest border crossing in the country, with up to 6,000 asylum seekers a week trying to enter the border. country.
Last month, 17 migrants in El Paso were rescued from a storm drain after becoming trapped while trying to enter the country illegally.
The flood of migrants led the city’s mayor to declare a state of emergency in December. (Staff/El Paso Journal)
