Armed militia faces off with bat-counting biologists at US-Mexico border
Heavily armed members of an American militia patrolling the southwestern US border confronted a group of people in Arizona on Friday, believing them to be drug smugglers or illegal immigrants. They were, in fact, biologists researching bats.
READ MORE: Armed militias planning to take over US border to thwart illegal immigrants
A small group of conservationists were working in the Gardner Canyon area near Sonoita, Arizona late on August 23. They were conducting a wildlife survey of bats in an area close to where people camp, hike, and hunt, Tucson News Now reported.
As the three biologists walked back to their campsite that night, a group of men shined a spotlight on them. The men had arrived on all-terrain vehicles, heavily armed and wearing camouflage. They began shouting at the scientists in Spanish, and identified themselves as a militia group protecting the US-Mexico border, Nogales International reported. The scientists identified themselves and continued to walk to their campsite “while seeking cover,” according to the deputy’s report.
But the militiamen followed the three back to their campsite, and again approached them.
"Obviously, they mistook them for smugglers or illegal entrants," Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada told TNN. "They were armed. They put a spotlight on them."
The armed group is believed to have come from Colorado. Their self-assigned task was that of patrolling the border due to an influx of children and families crossing into the country illegally.
Upon confronting the scientists, the militia called the US Customs and Border Control. Agents arrived at the scene to discover the bat-counting biologists.
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link to rt.com]