Arizona resident Craig Ricketts found himself caught in the crossfire of warring gangs, facing a barrage of bullets that could have easily claimed his life. Miraculously, Ricketts survived not one, but sixteen gunshots, as he attempted to make his way from Mexico to Tempe, Arizona, to spend Christmas Eve with his son.
The harrowing ordeal unfolded in the northwestern region of Sasabe, a notorious border route known for its dangers. Ricketts had chosen this path due to the closure of the Lukeville checkpoint, but little did he know that he was about to become a pawn in a deadly game of smuggling gangs. As the shooting erupted, at least sixteen bullets from these ruthless criminals pierced his car, shattering windows and leaving a trail of destruction.
From his hospital bed in Tucson, Ricketts recounted the terrifying moments. “The first thing I noticed was my left window was shattered. I saw a bullet hole through my front window, and my radio was blown out with a bullet,” he revealed. “I got hit once in my arm, which feels like a bicycle scrape when you’re a kid, and the other is my left leg.”
This incident marks the second time in a month that an American has been caught in the crossfire of violence along the border, according to the Attorney General’s Office in Sonora. Ricketts had initially intended to bypass the closed Lukeville checkpoint by crossing the border at Nogales. However, his GPS led him astray, directing him towards the perilous Sasabe entry point, an area notorious for its high crime rates.
Just a week prior to this Christmas Eve shooting, tragedy struck again on a Sonora highway, where a US resident lost their life and two others were wounded in a similar incident. The region has become a hotbed of violence, leaving innocent lives hanging in the balance.
Interestingly, despite the life-threatening encounter, Ricketts harbors no ill will towards the gangs responsible for his injuries. “The bottom line is they don’t know who I am,” he calmly stated. “They just wanted to secure their access for smuggling people.”
As authorities investigate these brazen acts of violence, the border region remains on high alert. The safety of innocent travelers, like Craig Ricketts, hangs in the balance as the battle between rival gangs rages on.
