Hundreds Mourn Murdered ICE Agent

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) _ A U.S. federal agent killed in Mexico is being remembered for giving his life to “fight the good fight.”

Nearly 1,000 mourners gathered Monday night to pray for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Special Agent Jaime Zapata.

Zapata, 32, was gunned down a week ago when U.S. officials say drug cartel gunmen ambushed his car. Fellow ICE agent Victor Avila was also in the car and shot twice in the leg.

Bishop Daniel Flores told a packed room at the Brownsville Events Center that “the entire country” was seeking to help Zapata’s family with their loss.

Scores of ICE and Border Patrol agents attended the rosary. One man entered and left on crutches surrounded by federal agents, but ICE spokeswoman Nina Pruneda said she did not immediately known whether the man was Avila.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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