Thomason Under Tight Security As Juarez Cop Is Treated

EL PASO – An injured Mexican police officer was taken to Thomason Hospital Friday night after being shot.

The wounded officer was taken to one of the U.S. Ports of entry, when a customs official notified El Paso emergency dispatchers.

An emergency crew arrived at the bridge, assessed the injured patient and determined he required serious care.

Thomason is the only Level I Trauma Center within 280-miles of El Paso that can treat such injuries.

El Paso police officers escorted the ambulance with the patient to Thomason. Those units were later replaced by Sheriff deputies at the hospital.

The Sheriff’s Office implemented heightened security measures to ensure the safety and security of patients, staff and visitors. Until further notice, public access to Thomason is restricted to a single entrance.

According to a Thomason spokeswoman, Thomason did not accept the patient in transfer. The decision to transport the patient to Thomason was made by the first responders who had been dispatched to the port of entry.

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires U.S. hospitals to stabilize any patient who presents to their facility in an emergent condition, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay or national origin.

This is the third wounded Mexican police official to be transported to Thomason this year. Overall, eleven victims of the drug war have been treated at Thomason since January 2008. Seven of those patients have been U.S. citizens.