Ice Agent Gets Killed (another Injured) In Mexico....

TexasAl · February 18, 2011

I'm sure you've heard about this story in the new already. I was reading the local newspaper, and they got some information on how the incident happened. You can read about it here:

http://www.themonitor.com/articles/agents-...ighway-suv.html

http://www.stratfor.com?video_uuid=w950isz...&aid=606126

Anyway, from what I read, it seems the agents were perfectly safe in the armored Chevy Suburban. It seem the agent made a crucial mistake, and put the truck in park, and the doors unlocked (common feature in our trucks). It makes my stomach turn to think that the action of putting the vehicle in park most likely caused the agent to lose their life at the hands of these bastards. They managed the get the doors closed, and the armored vehicle did its job at protecting them. If that door would have stayed closed (locked), the agent may still be alive today. I'm not trying to place blame on GM or anybody. This is just an observation.

I have an aftermarket alarm, and when it when it was installed, they kept the same setting that I had on my truck. I have often thought about the auto unlock feature can get me/my family into trouble if somebody want to carjack us, or whatever. I'm definitely going to get the auto unlock feature changed on my truck.

old-chevy-dude · February 18, 2011

i have my auto unlock set to unlock driver door only with key out.

Working in East Los Angeles this is the only safe option aside from no unlock feature setting (unlock only when you do it manually)

Nytemare · February 19, 2011

I'm sure you've heard about this story in the new already. I was reading the local newspaper, and they got some information on how the incident happened. You can read about it here:

http://www.themonitor.com/articles/agents-...ighway-suv.html

http://www.stratfor.com?video_uuid=w950isz...&aid=606126

Anyway, from what I read, it seems the agents were perfectly safe in the armored Chevy Suburban. It seem the agent made a crucial mistake, and put the truck in park, and the doors unlocked (common feature in our trucks). It makes my stomach turn to think that the action of putting the vehicle in park most likely caused the agent to lose their life at the hands of these bastards. They managed the get the doors closed, and the armored vehicle did its job at protecting them. If that door would have stayed closed (locked), the agent may still be alive today. I'm not trying to place blame on GM or anybody. This is just an observation.

I have an aftermarket alarm, and when it when it was installed, they kept the same setting that I had on my truck. I have often thought about the auto unlock feature can get me/my family into trouble if somebody want to carjack us, or whatever. I'm definitely going to get the auto unlock feature changed on my truck.

Or dont put your shifter in park if your getting car jacked...when you step on the gas to run the Mother Fu****'s over it works better in R or D

FChaf217 · February 19, 2011

I wasn't there, I don't know what happened, but they are doing dangerous work across the border. I was surprised to hear they are working in Mexico.

renegadeking · February 19, 2011

thats horrible, kind of a stupid design flaw on gm's side. the worst past is that they won;t be caught by the law.

Nytemare · February 19, 2011

thats horrible, kind of a stupid design flaw on gm's side. the worst past is that they won;t be caught by the law.

Not just GM...every vehicle does that man....even Kia.

So sorry to say, but the guy should have known, or it should have been deleted during the Armor install. When GM sells them they're just black Burbs.

K1500Tech · February 19, 2011

There is a way to reprogram the truck to remove that feature.

Roofer · February 19, 2011

I don't blame the vehicle or the officers. This simply should not happen to anyone,let alone a federal official. This really needs to be addressed.

Nytemare · February 19, 2011

Companies have been doing this with cars and trucks for at least 15 years now....my 90 Lumina had this very same feature.....now one guy dies doing a dangerous job and it has to be addressed.

I'm sorry to hear someone was killed in the line of duty, and I am sorry for all the loved ones he left behind...but this is not the fault of features in a truck or car that have been there longer than a lot of people on this board have been driving...next someone will be killed due to the auto down feature on the windows and everyone will want to go back to crank windows.

I have no idea why the agent put the truck in park in the first place....I'm sure he had a reason....and its likely not the first time he put the shifter in park in his career...its just that this time bad shit went down. I'm also very sure that this feature is well explained in they're training..unless this is one burb out of hundreds that didn't get the feature shut off. I know when we train on something, we go over all the features and if something is wrong and cannot be corrected we develop training around it.

TexasAl · February 19, 2011

I totally agree that this feature should have been deleted at the armor plating site. Why it wasn't, I don't know. Regardless, this feature, if it is on our vehicles could allow a bad guy to jump in the vehicle to try to carjack or kidnap somebody. The good things is that the feature can be turned on an off easily (for most people) on GM trucks. Regardless what manufacturer does this, people need to be aware of their surroundings and mindful of the vehicles actions.

Shatterz · February 19, 2011

Guys, the real issue here is not that he put the truck in park, did anyone else see the part that said he said his window cracked open ? Having your window open in a armored SUV is crazy, might as well be driving around with no armore at all. He did not get shot because the door was open, they stuck an AK through the open window and let loose on the guys.

I don't blame this agent for his own death, but clearly better judgement and actions from a professional (which I am sure he was) might have prevented this disaster.

Nytemare · February 19, 2011

Guys, the real issue here is not that he put the truck in park, did anyone else see the part that said he said his window cracked open ? Having your window open in a armored SUV is crazy, might as well be driving around with no armore at all. He did not get shot because the door was open, they stuck an AK through the open window and let loose on the guys.

I don't blame this agent for his own death, but clearly better judgement and actions from a professional (which I am sure he was) might have prevented this disaster.

Totally

Usually, its lapses in training, or things you get too comfortable with that ends up causing injury or worse. Complacency is the true enemy of any agent, officer, or soldier... Its not the bad guys themselves its the little lapses in judgment that invite the bad guys in...and no I am not at all saying that he is responsible for his own death.

TexasAl · February 20, 2011

The way I understood the article, the door was unlocked, and he struggled to close the door. I am assuming that during that struggle, the window was rolled down (probably pressed the auto down ? instead of the lock button). I really don't understand why he even stopped. I, as a regular citizen know that if I am stopped by these thugs, they will likely kidnap us, and put us to work for them, or kill the men, and rape the women (or girls). No other outcome. These agents could have called for back up, driven to the next town, or at least run (drive) away. That Suburban was made to push through this roadblock. The agent can be trained to do all sorts of things, but a small mistake most likely caused this catastrophe. Something they probably didn't train for. He was probably trying to talk his way out of the situation, and trying to avoid an incident. He placed the truck in park to try to deescalate the situation. All I know is, if I am ever in a situation like they were, I would definitely drive balls to the wall to try to get away. I don't foresee myself going to Mexico anytime soon, especially after this!

DoMDrty · February 21, 2011

Its hard to say what exactly happen, but the door unlock feature is a huge problem and the window should have been closed(if the driver opened it). Having trained people to operate armored vehicles those are 2 things always addressed.

Roofer · February 21, 2011

Wouldn't you think these trained people would know everything about their vehicle, right down to the tail light lenses? I sure would think so....

I heard the story about opening the window also. I heard they were trying to talk to them.

Seems fishy to me that it even happened. In a situation they describe, I would think they could call for back up and have a chopper come down and mow 'em all down with bullets before they even caught up to the agents. For the amount of money involved, that is what I expect, but then again it seems to never be enough funding.