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Man Shot at Nogales Border Crossing Found with 3,000 Rounds of Ammo Hidden in Spare Tire
A 37-year-old man, Miguel Soto-Morando, has been charged with multiple federal offenses after a shooting incident involving a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer in Nogales, Arizona. Soto-Morando stands accused of assaulting a federal officer and attempting to smuggle over 3,000 rounds of AK-47 ammunition into Mexico.
The attempted smuggling occurred on October 16 at approximately 3:30 p.m. Soto-Morando drove a GMC Sierra pickup into a lane designated for Mexico-bound traffic at the Dennis DeConcini port of entry. A CBP officer and a drug detection dog alerted to the vehicle, prompting further inspection.
Officers identified a suspicious density reading from the truck’s spare tire. As they attempted a secondary inspection, Soto-Morando accelerated the vehicle, nearly dragging one officer alongside. The truck ultimately crashed into a cement pillar, continuing its momentum until it hit a metal gate, stopping nearly 30 feet later.
In response to the threat, two officers discharged their firearms, wounding Soto-Morando in the right leg and arm. He was subsequently airlifted to Banner University Medical Center in Tucson for emergency treatment. The injured officer was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in Nogales for evaluation.
Following the incident, the DeConcini crossing was temporarily closed. Meanwhile, northbound traffic began to resume by late Wednesday afternoon, although southbound lanes remained shut down. The Nogales Police Department issued alerts advising motorists to use nearby crossings.
A subsequent search of the spare tire revealed 3,140 rounds of ATS 7.62x39mm ammunition, primarily intended for AK-47 rifles. Soto-Morando has a prior conviction for attempted possession of marijuana for sale almost eight years ago.
Investigations into the shooting are being conducted by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General has also been informed of the incident.
This incident follows a 2019 shooting at the same crossing, where another man was wounded by a CBP officer. That case involved claims of excessive force and was dismissed in October 2024.
In 2022, the DeConcini crossing facilitated a significant volume of border traffic, with over 9.4 million vehicles and nearly 23 million individuals utilizing the port, according to the Greater Nogales and Santa Cruz Port Authority.