American hiker shot by suspected Mexican cartel while on US soil

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A hiker was brutally attacked by “suspected cartel members” while exploring a wilderness area near the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego County, according to the U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector.

Officials reported the incident happened around noon on Wednesday near the border of San Diego and Imperial counties when a group of US citizens who were hiking in the Jacumba Wilderness in California was brutally attacked and pelted with gunfire by suspected cartel members.

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) source confirmed to Fox News that two suspected cartel members, who were armed with handguns, were about a thousand yards inside the U.S. in the Jacumba area when they confronted two hikers in the group and began yelling at them in Spanish.

The source said the hikers didn’t understand, so the gunmen yelled “come”. 

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A group of hikers were rescued after being attacked by “suspected cartel members” while exploring the Jacumba Wilderness in California.  (US Border Patrol El Centro Sector )

At that point, the hikers feared they would be kidnapped, so they turned away. Upon doing this, the gunmen fired two shots in the air. 

When the hikers still didn’t respond, the alleged cartel members fired shots, striking one of the hikers in his leg. 

Agents were able to successfully rescue the hikers, evacuate them, and said that all threats had been neutralized. 

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The hiker is expected to recover.

The Border Patrol confirmed that its elite Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) and marksmen are saturating the area.

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A U.S. Customs and Border Protection border patrol agent talks to people on the Mexican side of the border wall at Border Field State Park in San Diego, California, U.S., November 28, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Wattie (REUTERS/Chris Wattie)

“These cartels think they can bring their war to American soil. Let this serve as a WARNING: The El Centro Sector will not stand idly by,” the agency wrote on a post on social media. 

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“The safety of our citizens is NOT negotiable; cartel terrorists have no place in our country preying on the innocent. Enough is enough.” 

Border Patrol officials are working to determine which cartel the gunmen belong to. 

Stepheny Price is writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com