What is US Border Commander Greg Bovino doing after Latin Kings member put out hit? Watch here
A Latin King gang member had put out a bounty on Commander at Large of the U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, the Department of Homeland Security said.
A clip showing Greg Bovino's interactions on the street was posted by the Commander at Large of the U.S. Border Patrol Chief, days after a Latin Kings gang member was arrested for putting out a bounty on him.
“The Green Machine is bringing the energy to Chicago! These fine Chicagoans got fist bumps instead of handcuffs. With Chicago’s support, Operation Midway Blitz will be here until we accomplish our mission,” Bovino wrote.
The video showed Bovino in a departmental store, likely getting a beverage. He interacts with the man behind the counter. Elsewhere, he speaks to another shopkeeper. There is some handshakes and fist-bumps in the video as Bovino seems to be well accepted by the people around him. Notably, not everyone is as happy about President Donald Trump sending the National Guard to Chicago.
In fact, Trump called for the jailing of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker after they opposed the Guard deployment.
Threat against Greg Bovino
While Democrats have decried the Guard deployment, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on October 6, arrested a Latin King gang member who'd directly put a bounty on Bovino.
Based off a tip from a confidential source, they arrested Juan Espinoza Martinez in Burr Ridge, Illinois. A Snapchat conversation screenshot showed purported messages from this individual. He appeared to place a $2,000 bounty for information “cuando lo agarren", which means “when they catch him” and a $10,000 reward for ‘if you take him down’. A third response, which read ‘LK…on him’ appeared to indicate that Latin Kings were involved, the DHS noted.
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Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, in a statement, said “Depraved individuals like Juan Espinoza Martinez – who do not value human life and threaten law enforcement– do NOT belong in this country. We will not allow criminal gangs to put hits on U.S. government officials and our law enforcement officers,” adding, “Thanks to ICE and our federal law enforcement partners, this thug is off our streets and behind bars. These attacks on our brave law enforcement officers must END. Secretary Noem has been crystal clear: If you threaten or lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Espinoza-Martinez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico and entered the US at an unknown date and time, the DHS said. While Bovino appears unperturbed by the purported threat, and posted a video of him going about his duties, others expressed concern in the comments.
“Be safe, America has your back!,” a person remarked. “They should not be patrolling alone. I hope they aren’t alone,” another person commented on the same video shared by journalist Eric Daugherty.
