U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva issued a statement Friday, May 26, calling for accountability following the shooting death of Tohono O'odham Nation tribal member Raymond Mattia by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on May 18.
“The death of Raymond Mattia is a tragedy that demands immediate accountability," the statement said.
“Like many others, I am disturbed by the reports of excessive force and want to know the exact circumstances of this fatal event. As the FBI and the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department investigate, the findings must be independently verified and given full public disclosure.”
In the statement, Grijalva urged Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to limit the involvement of CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility in reviewing the case.
“Within the past year and since the dismantling of (Critical Incident Teams), CBP has hired former CIT agents in the OPR to investigate agent misconduct," the statement said. "Given the concerns and troubled history of cover-ups and shadow units within CBP, it’s time for the Biden administration and Secretary Mayorkas to consider re-configuring OPR's scope of operations and involvement in their own investigations.”
Grijalva offered his condolences to Mattia's family and said that his office will continue to monitor the situation.
