The gunman who ambushed border agents at their office in McAllen, Texas, Monday morning had a phrase tied to a fictional “terrorist” figure from a popular video game spray-painted on the outside of his car.
Ryan Louis Mosqueda, 27, opened fire at the entrance of the Rio Grande Valley annex, injuring two officers and a Border Patrol employee, including one who was shot in the knee, the Department of Homeland Security said.
The words “Cordis DIE” were spray-painted on Mosqueda’s white Chevrolet sedan. The phrase is the name of a fictional “terrorist organization” featured in the Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Call of Duty: Strike Team video games, according to its blog.
Cops fired back at Mosqueda, killing the perp.
He had been reported missing by his father, who was 20 miles away in Weslaco, around 4 a.m. Monday before he opened fire on agents. He was also linked to an address in Michigan.
His father, Jose Mosqueda, told cops that his son had a “mental deficiency,” but wasn’t medicated for his condition, according to the New York Times. He also said his son had weapons in his car.
“An hour and a few minutes later, he was at this particular location opening fire on the federal building and our federal agents,” McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez told reporters Monday.
Cops received a call at around 5:50 a.m. when Mosqueda fired dozens of shots, Rodriguez said, adding that the writing on Mosqueda’s vehicle was possibly in Latin.
“What it means, or whether or not it is an underlying reason for him being here, I do not know,” said Rodriguez.
He declined to share any motive for the attack.
Mosqueda brought additional ammo and weapons that cops found later at the scene, according to Rodriguez.
“There are many, many more rounds of ammunition in his backpack,” Rodriguez said.
