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Was U.S. border agent Jaime Zapata killed with U.S. guns?
The family of U.S. border agent Jaime Zapata, who was shot to death five months ago by Mexican drug cartel members, is
demanding to know if the guns that killed Zapata were purchased in the U.S. and smuggled into Mexico.
(Getty/IDF)
The guns would have traveled to Mexico via the controversial and highly criticized, '
Fast and Furious' government program (now under investigation), where more than 2,500 U.S. guns were purchasaed in the U.S. before being smuggled into Mexico as part of a plan to track drug cartels.
(Getty/Scott Olson)
Zapata, 32, was killed in February when he and fellow special agent, Victor Avila, were stopped on the Pan-American highway in Mexico by eight men who opened fire on them.
(Getty/Ethan Miller)
In March, government officials said that they believed one of the weapons used in the assault was bought at a Texas gun store. The same store allegedly sold a total of 40 firearms that ended up in the hands of cartel members under 'Fast and Furious.'
(Getty/Spencer Platt)
In June the Zapata family
asked the FBI, the U.S. attorney's office and Homeland Security agents for documents related to the slaying. Their lawyer asked: "Where did the guns come from that were used in his murder? Who provided the guns?"
Federal officials have told the family that they cannot discuss anything.
