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El Paso Police Shooting Draws Mexican Government Scrutiny

EL PASO — A fatal police shooting in El Paso is drawing Mexican government scrutiny. Police spokesman Chris Mears says officers responding to a burglary call Wednesday night encountered Erick Emmanuel Salas Sanchez, who armed himself with a metal object and threatened the officers.

Mears says a Taser failed to to subdue the 22-year-old man, who charged the officers. One officer shot Sanchez, who died later at Del Sol Medical Center.

Mears says the officer who shot Sanchez is a 10-year department veteran who has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Mexican foreign affairs ministry issued a statement Thursday, saying its consular officials have asked El Paso County prosecutors for a full investigation and the police chief for information on the department’s internal investigation of the shooting. 

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