Minutemen Charged in Slaying of Immigrant Family

June 16, 2009

Three members of a vigilante organization to oust immigrants to the United States each face two counts of first-degree murder, among other charges. The group, which originated in Washington State, was designed as an anti-immigration organization. They have been noted as often using anti-immigration sentiments to lash out against Latinos.

On May 30, the group raided a home on the Arizona border town of Arivaca. Their intention was to seize money and possibly drugs, so that they could finance the group’s activities. The leader of the organization also planned to kill the family living in the home, so as not to “leave any witnesses.”

The father of the family and his 9-year-old daughter were killed in the raid, and the mother was injured. Another daughter, who the group attempted to find during the raid, was not at home at the time, and managed to escape the attack.

The group has made several lies about being attacked by Latino gangs and are generally thought to be a group that commits hate crimes in the name of anti-immigration.