25. Fighting Erupts
Trouble began on August 27th, 1918, when a Mexican carpenter returning to Mexican Nogales was ordered to halt in the middle of International Street by an American Customs official, who wanted to inspect a parcel he was carrying. Only a few feet away, Mexican border agents directed him to ignore the American command, and continue into Mexico. As he hesitated between the competing groups of border agents shouting contradictory instructions, an American soldier raised his rifle to encourage the carpenter to return to the US side.
Amidst the confusion, a shot was fired, and the carpenter dropped to the ground. Thinking the carpenter had been shot, a Mexican Customs official drew his pistol and shot an American soldier in the face. A US Customs official then drew out a revolver, and shot two of his Mexican counterparts dead. In the meantime, the carpenter, who was unhurt, got up and sprinted to safety down a side street.