Re: [Texascavers] Border militia confronts bat researchers

[Jim Kennedy via Texascavers]

Yes. 

- Crash

Mobile email from my iPhone

> On Sep 4, 2014, at 2:32 PM, Charles Loving via Texascavers 
>  wrote:
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>> On Wed, Sep 3, 2014 at 9:09 PM, Frank Binney via Texascavers 
>>  wrote:
>> Anybody know anyone involved in this?
>> Border militia confronts bat researchers
>> 
>> Posted: Tuesday, September 2, 2014 7:26 am
>> By Jonathan Clark
>> Nogales International 
>> 
>> A group of heavily armed militiamen confronted a team of scientists who had 
>> been studying bats in a cave near Sonoita  last week, apparently mistaking 
>> them for illegal border-crossers or drug-smugglers.
>> 
>> No one was hurt during the late-night encounter in the Gardner Canyon area, 
>> but the incident highlights the potential for trouble when citizens take up 
>> arms in hopes of defending the U.S.-Mexico border.
>> 
>> U.S. Customs and Border Protection “does not endorse or support any private 
>> group or organization to take border security matters into their own hands 
>> as it could have disastrous personal and public safety consequences” the 
>> agency said in a statement.
>> 
>> The confrontation near Sonoita began at approximately 11 p.m. on Aug. 23, 
>> according to a report given by one of the scientists to a Santa Cruz County 
>> Sheriff’s deputy. The team of three researchers had been counting bats in 
>> Onyx Cave, and as they began walking back to their campsite near Gardner 
>> Canyon Road, they were flashed with a spotlight by a group of men.
>> 
>> The men reportedly began shouting at the  scientists in Spanish, and 
>> identified themselves as a militia group protecting the U.S.-Mexico border. 
>> The scientists identified themselves and continued to walk to their campsite 
>> “while seeking cover,” according to the deputy’s report.
>> 
>> When they arrived at their campsite, they were again approached by the 
>> militiamen, who pulled up on an ATV while carrying a shotgun and wearing 
>> camouflage clothing. This time the militiamen were apologetic, but the 
>> reporting scientist told the deputy he still cursed them out and let them 
>> know how they had made him and his colleagues feel.
>> 
>> The researchers said they weren’t directly threatened by the militiamen and 
>> did not see any weapons pointed at them. Still, the reporting person 
>> described the encounter as “aggressive” and said he was concerned for the 
>> safety of other people who were camping in the area. He said he saw three 
>> militia members, but suspected there were more.
>> 
>> The report was made the afternoon after the encounter, and the deputy took 
>> no additional action on the matter. “Border Patrol had already dealt with 
>> the situation,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Raoul Rodriguez.
>> 
>> Border Patrol agents from the Sonoita Station had arrived at the scientists’ 
>> campsite during the incident after having been contacted by the militia 
>> group. An agent contacted later by the investigating deputy reportedly 
>> described the militiamen as “heavily armed,” even more so than the agent.
>> 
>> Neither the Border Patrol nor Sheriff’s Office could provide details about 
>> the militiamen, other than that they claimed to be from Colorado.
>> 
>> In a brief statement from the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, the agency said 
>> it received a phone call from a member of a militia group reporting 
>> suspicious activity near Sonoita at about 10 p.m. on Aug. 23.
>> 
>> “Sonoita station agents responded and encountered a small group of 
>> biologists studying bats,” it said.
>> 
>> 
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> 
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> -- 
> Charlie Loving
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[Texascavers] Border militia confronts bat researchers

[Frank Binney via Texascavers]

Anybody know anyone involved in this?
Border militia confronts  bat researchers
* Posted: Tuesday, September 2, 2014 7:26 am
 

By Jonathan Clark
Nogales International

  
 
 

A group of heavily armed militiamen confronted a team of scientists who had
been studying bats in a cave near Sonoita last week, apparently mistaking
them for illegal border-crossers or drug-smugglers.
  

No one was hurt during the late-night encounter in the Gardner Canyon area,
but the incident highlights the potential for trouble when citizens take up
arms in hopes of defending the U.S.-Mexico border.
  

U.S. Customs and Border Protection ³does not endorse or support any private
group or organization to take border security matters into their own hands
as it could have disastrous personal and public safety consequences² the
agency said in a statement.
  

The confrontation near Sonoita began at approximately 11 p.m. on Aug. 23,
according to a report given by one of the scientists to a Santa Cruz County
Sheriff¹s deputy. The team of three researchers had been counting bats in
Onyx Cave, and as they began walking back to their campsite near Gardner
Canyon Road, they were flashed with a spotlight by a group of men.
  

The men reportedly began shouting at the scientists in Spanish, and
identified themselves as a militia group protecting the U.S.-Mexico border.
The scientists identified themselves and continued to walk to their campsite
³while seeking cover,² according to the deputy¹s report.
  

When they arrived at their campsite, they were again approached by the
militiamen, who pulled up on an ATV while carrying a shotgun and wearing
camouflage clothing. This time the militiamen were apologetic, but the
reporting scientist told the deputy he still cursed them out and let them
know how they had made him and his colleagues feel.
  

The researchers said they weren¹t directly threatened by the militiamen and
did not see any weapons pointed at them. Still, the reporting person
described the encounter as ³aggressive² and said he was concerned for the
safety of other people who were camping in the area. He said he saw three
militia members, but suspected there were more.
  

The report was made the afternoon after the encounter, and the deputy took
no additional action on the matter. ³Border Patrol had already dealt with
the situation,² said Sheriff¹s Lt. Raoul Rodriguez.
  

Border Patrol agents from the Sonoita Station had arrived at the scientists¹
campsite during the incident after having been contacted by the militia
group. An agent contacted later by the investigating deputy reportedly
described the militiamen as ³heavily armed,² even more so than the agent.
  

Neither the Border Patrol nor Sheriff¹s Office could provide details about
the militiamen, other than that they claimed to be from Colorado.
  

In a brief statement from the Border Patrol¹s Tucson Sector, the agency said
it received a phone call from a member of a militia group reporting
suspicious activity near Sonoita at about 10 p.m. on Aug. 23.
  

³Sonoita station agents responded and encountered a small group of
biologists studying bats,² it said.


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