TUCSON, Ariz. — The Tohono O'odham Nation is condemning a recent decision by federal prosecutors not to criminally charge the Border Patrol agents who fatally shot one of the tribe's members earlier this year.
Raymond Mattia, 58, died on the night of May 18 outside of his home on the reservation after agents fired several gunshots. Body-worn camera footage of the incident can be seen here.
The Department of Justice recently said in an email to KVOA News that the actions of the agents does not rise to the level of criminal prosecution.
"Department of Justice employees, including supervisory and line Assistant U.S. Attorneys, a victim advocate and an FBI agent, met with Mr. Mattia’s family and the family’s lawyers in Sells on Sept. 19 for more than an hour. The employees explained our conclusion in the criminal investigation," the DOJ said.
Representatives of the Tohono O'odham Nation are not pleased with the government's decision.
In a statement, the tribe said it was a "travesty of justice" not to file charges and vowed to pursue other actions in order to obtain justice for Mattia's family.
"Members of the Tohono O’odham Nation should not have to worry that their lives could be randomly cut short by federal agents acting on Tohono O’odham sovereign land. In Mr. Mattia’s case, he was not only on O’odham land, but at his own home, and defenseless," the tribe's statement read.
The statement was signed by Tohono O'odham Chairman Verlon M. Jose and Vice Chairwoman Carla L. Johnson.
"While politicians waste time debating walls and other ineffective and divisive ideas, our people are persecuted and, in this case, killed by federal agents. This must stop," the statement adds.
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