American hiker is shot by Mexican cartel bandits along scenic border trail

A scenic hike quickly turned traumatic for an American hiker and his Canadian friend when they were shot and robbed by suspected Mexican cartel terrorists. 

The hikers were roaming through the Jacumba Wilderness in California, about 1,000 feet north of the US-Mexico border when they were approached by two armed individuals, according to a press release from the US Customs and Border Protection.

The bandits began yelling at them in Spanish and the hikers responded that they didn't understand them.

Fearing for their lives, the hikers refused to follow the armed individuals and attempted to get away. 

It was then that the assailants fired a round of shots, hitting one of the hikers in the leg.  

The attackers then took advantage of the vulnerable hikers and robbed them of their backpacks and phones. 

Luckily, the Imperial County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting the incident and Border Patrol agents in the El Centro Sector responded to assist the hiker. 

About an hour after the 911 call was made, the Mountain Disrupt Unit, Border Patrol Tactical Unit, and Border Patrol Search, and Rescue found the victim in the wilderness. 

Authorities were able to stabilize the victim and airlifted him to a nearby medical center in San Diego for treatment. 

Border Patrol agents tracked the bandits back to Mexico, but no further information on their identities has been released. 

'The wounded hiker is an "I told you so moment" highlighting the importance of adequate infrastructure the Border Patrol has been championing for years now,' El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino said in a statement. 

'Suspected cartel terrorists, however, are fixing to learn this type of conduct will be an end game type of activity here in the Premier Sector. All threats, anywhere, or at any time throughout this sector will be addressed vigorously.'

Bovino also shared a video of the agents responding to the scene on his X account. Multiple officials strapped with guns and protective gear can be seen holding the victim and bringing him to a helicopter.

'Cartels think they can bring their war here. Think again! Americans won’t be intimidated,' he wrote. 

'Our agents & BORTAC will confront these threats HEAD ON!'

The US Border Patrol El Centro Sector also reposted the video on their Facebook account with a message to cartel terrorists. 

'Let this serve as a WARNING: The El Centro Sector will not stand idly by. The safety of our citizens is NOT negotiable; cartel terrorists have no place in our country preying on the innocent. Enough is enough,' the post read. 

The victims were hiking along an area called Valley of the Moon. 

According to investigative reporting from the Associated Press in 2024, illegal migration increased in California as a result of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's multibillion-dollar border plan. 

Migration patterns have shown migrants from Colombia, Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and China fly to Tijuana and cross the border into San Diego from there. 

In 2024, the New York Times reported that at least seven migrant holding areas were erected across the California border, including an open-air waiting site in Valley of the Moon. 

However, attacks on US hikers in this area are rare, with reporting from the Washington Post citing that migrants are at a greater risk of attacks by groups of armed bandits.

Groups known as 'rip crews' have set up operations along border areas to rob migrants, who are less likely to report the crime. 

Border Patrol agents are still investigating the recent incident in San Diego and no arrests have been made. Dailymail.com reached out to the US CBP and the Imperial County Sheriff's Office for comment but didn't immediately hear back.