City of Sunland Park believes Mexican nationals to blame for Mt. Cristo Rey robbery
The City of Sunland Park said Tuesday no arrests have been made after four people were allegedly robbed while hiking Mt. Cristo Rey Sunday Morning.
“We believe the suspects are Mexican nationals, and have fled back across country lines. We have no reason to believe that there will be any threats for the upcoming Pilgrimage at Mt. Cristo Rey this weekend,” the city stated in an email sent to ABC-7.
Police said two of the victims were assaulted with air rifles.
“The guy had a rifle and with that rifle they hit him in the back of the head twice which cut him up,” said Robert Perez, one of the victims of Sunday’s attack. “He was able to get away from it and run down here and that’s when he got medical attention and, unfortunately, he had to go to the hospital.”
The Sunland Park Police Department will be patrolling the area and the path up the mountain, the city stated.
According to Border Patrol documents received by ABC-7 in 2015, a little more than 1,000 undocumented immigrants were capture crossing in the Cristo Rey area in 2014.
The U.S. Border Patrol recommends you hike with large groups. Hikers are also advised to contact Sunland Park Police before embarking on their hike to the summit of the mountain.
Border Patrol told ABC-7 Sunland Park police will notify officers and Border Patrol agents ahead of time when they know someone is going to hike the mountain.
