During my days with the Border Patrol it was not unusual to be assaulted by people hurling rocks. This could involve individual rock attacks or group attacks we called “Mexican meteor showers”. People who haven’t been on the receiving end of a rock attack generally have little appreciation for how dangerous it can be.
Late one afternoon a group of Mexican worthies had made a little camp on the north side of the decrepit border fence. Technically speaking they were in the United States illegally but since they could step back into Mexico before a Border Patrol agent could grab them they felt secure. Unfortunately, they were impeded from continuing north and enjoying the good life in La Cuidad de Oro, The Golden City, otherwise known as Los Angeles, by the lone presence of a Border Patrol agent several hundred yards away. Lacking a solution to their problem they thought it best to wait for an opportunity to dash north while passing around a gallon jug of cheap grain alcohol.
Agent Bob “Lumpy” Reedle was looking forward to finishing his shift. Day shifts were way better than night shifts because the aliens and the agents all seemed to kick back and enjoy life a little on Days, as opposed to the endlessly busy and violent night shifts the agents rotated through. Reedle was responsible for keeping an eye on about half a mile of border, keeping the aliens at bay, and catching those who made a break north. So far things had been going pretty well, but then he saw movement from the little group directly south of him camped out by the fence.
Jose Cuervo, hereafter known as Atlas, decided to make his move. After drinking liquid courage all afternoon and bragging about his skills at getting past La Migra, he was tired of waiting and tired of being taunted to prove himself by his drunken companeros. Standing up, he started walking straight towards Lumpy.
Catching aliens was pretty common; in fact Reedle had probably arrested at least 10,000 during his 5 years in the Patrol. But having an alien walk straight at you in daylight was usually an indication there was going to be trouble. Reedle got out of his Bronco, checked his gear and waited for Atlas to approach. To his considerable amazement, Atlas picked up a huge boulder; it must have weighed 50 pounds, and charged forward with it held over his head. As Atlas closed on him Reedle threw up an arm, drew his .357 Magnum and fired two quick shots, one handed, from the hip, while doing his best to duck the rock. To Reedle’s even more considerable amazement, Atlas stopped, still holding the bolder aloft, with blood shooting out of both wrists.
Atlas staggered, then shrugged, and fell to the ground as the boulder pounded down on his head. Atlas didn’t make it but that’s not the point. As far as I’m concerned, Lumpy Reedle’s un-aimed hip shots and two perfect hits are the greatest feat of combat marksmanship I have ever heard of. And it doesn’t matter that he didn’t do it on purpose; sometimes you just get lucky.
(This incident really happened but, as they say, the names were changed to protect the innocent.)
About the Author:
Ed Head is a regular on Shooting Gallery and Down Range TV. He has worked for almost 30 years in law enforcement, first in the United States Air Force and then with the United States Border Patrol, retiring as a Field Operations Supervisor. During his Border Patrol career, Ed worked in a variety of patrol, investigative and training capacities. Ed has an extensive background as a firearms instructor, having trained thousands, ranging from beginners to police, military and special operations personnel. Having taught at Gunsite for 20 years, Ed first trained there under the world famous shooting school’s founder, Jeff Cooper, then later ran the school as the operations manager for more than five years. Ed lives in Chino Valley, Arizona, where he continues to teach and write.
I see a book in the making folowed by a made for TV movie, “My Life on the Border”.