ATF gunwalking scandal: Second agent speaks out
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 09:23PM (CBS News)
WASHINGTON - South of El Paso, Texas, on Mexico's side of the border, lies Juarez - the most dangerous city in the world. CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports ATF Special Agent Rene Jaquez has been stationed there for the past year, trying to keep U.S. guns from being trafficked into Mexico.
"That's what we do as an agency," Jaquez said. "ATF's primary mission is to make sure that we curtail gun trafficking."
Video: Mexico assignment "most dangerous in the world"
Video: ATF agent describes dangers of "gunwalking"
That's why Jaquez tells CBS News he was so alarmed to hear his own agency may have done the opposite: encouraged U.S. gun dealers to sell to suspected traffickers for Mexico's drug cartels. Apparently, ATF hoped that letting weapons "walk" onto the street - to see where they'd end up - would help them take down a cartel.
Gunrunning scandal uncovered at the ATF
Jaquez is so opposed to the strategy, he's speaking out. "You don't let guns walk. I've never let a gun walk."
Read Agent Jaquez's most recent job performance evaluation summary from ATF management.
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