Shootout at Canadian border. . . . . . ..Canadian border agents (who are unarmed) ran for cover as the bullets started to fly.

One of the 2 men, who are both wanted for a murder in California, was shot by Washington State police, and they were both arrested.

But the question nobody is asking is why in the hell was a 20-something mexican gang member hanging out with a 30-something Arab?    

Ooooh... I want to follow this one.

They always forget the link.

Quoted: They always forget the link.

pieceofstink forgot the link.

CNN's site has an article with both names.

It also regales you with tales of unarmed Canadian border guards running for cover.

CBC article


Peace Arch shootout closes border  
Last updated Jan 25 2006 07:39 AM PST
CBC News
A high-speed U.S. police chase that ended in a dramatic shootout at the Peace Arch on Tuesday evening forced the closure of the busy border crossing south of Vancouver.



U.S. sheriff rammed suspects' car
just south of the border marker.  
American police arrested two men considered armed and dangerous – and wanted for murder in California.

"They [drove] through the border and they almost struck two uniformed officers," said Bill Elf of the Whatcom County Sheriff's Department.

He says Ishtiaq Hussain, 38, and Jose Antonio Barajas, 22, continued northbound into the grassy park that straddles the border and even struck the Peace Arch itself at one point.

 


One of the suspects was wounded in the shootout with police, and the two men were finally stopped by a deputy sheriff who rammed their car about a metre south of Canadian soil.

"I think there was extreme bravery on the part of our deputy sheriff, and I'm very, very proud of what he did, putting his own life at risk to protect the public and prevent this vehicle from travelling into Canada and injuring someone else," says Elf.

Witness Bill Whittle didn't see the ensuing gunfight but he heard it.

 
Witness Bill Whittle heard 'seven or eight gunshots'

"I heard about seven or eight gunshots just on the other side of the Peace Arch," he said. "One of [the suspects] was shot. [The police] got him out of the car."

Dozens of unarmed Canadian border guards walked off the job at Peace Arch and the nearby truck crossing when they heard the heavily armed suspects were heading their way.

Supervisors stepped in at each crossing to protect the Canadian side.

A spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency says the guards have the legal right under the Canada Labour Code to refuse to work if they believe they are in imminent danger.



RELATED STORY: Arm border guards, Senate report urges
The officers have long complained the Canada Border Services Agency ignores their safety. But Customs and Excise Union spokesperson Dan Leibel says politics had nothing to do with what some members did yesterday.

"They were genuinely concerned that two murderers were coming into Canada, one with a machine gun the other with a 9 mm handgun, and there they were in the booth – your first line of defence – with a bulletproof vest and a can of pepper spray."

Leibel says what makes it even less likely the walkout was political, was that it happened the day after the Conservatives won the election. The party has promised to arm border agents, something the union has demanded for years

This was posted yesterday, but for some bizarre reason, a staff member moved it to the Hometown/Washington forum.

jobrelatedstuff.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=15&t=221483

"They were genuinely concerned that two murderers were coming into Canada, one with a machine gun the other with a 9 mm handgun, and there they were in the booth – your first line of defence – with a bulletproof vest and a can of pepper spray."

Dozens of unarmed Canadian border guards walked off the job at Peace Arch and the nearby truck crossing when they heard the heavily armed suspects were heading their way. Supervisors stepped in at each crossing to protect the Canadian side. A spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency says the guards have the legal right under the Canada Labour Code to refuse to work if they believe they are in imminent danger.

Well, that's a beauty deal for the "guards", eh?  

The thing is, even if the Whatcom officer hadn't rammed them, they wouldn't have gotten much further.

With the construction going on that crossing for the new CDN customs building, there is a choke point just behind the new booths. One RCMP cruiser could have blocked it.

They probably would have found themselves blocked in and facing a half dozen Mounties with shotguns.

Quoted: Witness Bill Whittle heard 'seven or eight gunshots'

Wonder if it was this Bill Whittle?  

Amazing story by the way.

Hispanic / Arab muslim connection??

AQ and La raza, a deadly mix
Build the wall!

Kinda like banks hiring 75 yr old security guards, and arming them only with a radio.

Definatly worth a TAG.


-K