U.S. Border Patrol Agent Matthew Bowen called immigrants “disgusting subhuman shit unworthy of being kindling for a fire” days before he allegedly almost ran one down with his car.
According to the Washington Post, the texts came to light as part of court filings from federal prosecutors. The documents allege that Bowen also called immigrants “mindless murdering savages” and “tonks,” a slur apparently referring to the sound of a flashlight hitting an immigrant’s head.
Bowen’s lawyer’s response to these disturbing messages? That his sentiments are “commonplace throughout the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector” and “part of the agency’s culture,” per his attorney, Sean Chapman.
Bowen reportedly chased down a fleeing immigrant with his truck and screeched to a halt inches away from the man’s body. Prosecutors say he then lied about the incident in a report. He faces charges of depriving rights under the color of law and fabricating records, to which Bowen has pleaded not guilty.
