(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Local police reportedly killed a mentally ill retired FBI agent on August 22 outside of a high school in El Paso, Texas.
“Julio Cordero, 56, was a father of four and a decorated former federal agent struggling with deteriorating mental health since his retirement from the FBI,” Channel 9-KTSM reported last Wednesday, citing an interview with Cordero’s brother, Marco Cordero. “The FBI El Paso Division confirmed Cordero served as a special agent in the bureau from 1996 to 2019.”
According to KFOX14, Cordero’s mental health struggles began when he was in a car accident that claimed the life of his sister as a teenager. After that incident, the family reportedly said Julio would oftentimes find himself in a manic state breaking glass.
Julio Cordero was allegedly breaking glass on the morning of the August 22 shooting. Later that morning, parents reportedly received a message that classes were canceled following an officer-involved shooting.
Julio’s body lied covered by a white sheet outside of the school all morning, according to KFOX14.
Cordero’s brother, Marco, told local media he has questions about the incident.
“Why the hell didn’t you use non-lethal weapons to control him,” he said. “A taser puts Julio on the floor.”
El Paso police reportedly decline to say whether the officer who shot Cordero was armed with a taser, citing an ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, FBI spokeswoman Special Agent Jeanette Harper said the bureau is “saddened at the loss of one of our own.”
Cordero’s career accomplishments reportedly included leading Operation Poisoned Pawns, the 2007 public corruption investigation that resulted in dozens of convictions, including three former county judges, county commissioners, school board members and business people.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
