Border agent's death spurs policy review

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PHOENIX, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. Border Patrol will review its procedures after last week's death of an agent by friendly fire, an official with a union for patrol agents says.

George McCubbin, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said Sunday the Border Patrol will investigate if current procedures are adequate to prevent agents from accidentally shooting each other in the field, The Arizona Republic reported.

McCubbin termed as "just a horrible, unfortunate accident" the death of agent Nicholas Ivie, who was shot and killed by another agent in the early morning hours of Oct. 2 while responding to an alert in a remote mountainous area of Arizona.

Ivie, 30, was initially thought to have been the victim of drug smugglers who frequent the area. The FBI ruled Friday he died after being shot by another agent.

He and two other agents were responding to the same tripped sensor when they lost radio contact, said McCubbin, who has reviewed investigative reports.

As is customary practice, the agents' weapons have been seized and the agents placed on paid leave until a review of the incident is completed, McCubbin said.

There is no evidence border crossers tripped the sensors, investigators reported.