Jail warden, brother arrested in connection to migrant shooting in Hudspeth County
UPDATE: A spokeswoman for Homeland Security Investigations El Paso tells ABC-7 the male and female who were shot were part of a ground of 13 undocumented non-citizens. All members of the group were Mexican nationals. One was an accompanied juvenile.
HUDSPETH, Texas -- The jail warden for a privately owned detention facility in Sierra Blanca and his brother were arrested in connection to a shooting that killed one migrant and injured another, according to a law enforcement source close to the investigation.
Mike Sheppard, the warden, and his brother Mark were booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility Thursday.
Mike Sheppard has been fired from the West Texas Detention Center due to an "off-duty" incident, according to LaSalle Corrections.
ABC-7 spoke with the Hudspeth County Sheriff, Arvin West. He said he personally knew both men.
Sheriff West said he is still processing the shooting. He also said he was in shock when he learned it was both men who were involved.
West said these type of incidents don't happen in the region.
He said both men are from Florida and were living in Sierra Blanca. He said the brothers loved hunting. He said they would frequently hunt in the area where the shooting took place.
Sheriff West also told ABC-7 he is "staying away from the investigation."
ABC-7 reached out to Homeland Security to check on the condition of the other migrants in that group. We are waiting for a response.
Officials confirmed the remaining migrants are in custody.
On Tuesday, the DPS says the two men pulled over in a truck and shot at a group of "illegal immigrants" standing alongside the road getting water.
As ABC-7 reported Wednesday, the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol agents were called to help the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office in the investigation related to the shooting.
According to DPS, a male migrant was shot and killed, and a female migrant was shot and is now recovering at Del Sol Hospital in El Paso.
She is in stable condition.
