Border chief: wounded agent stable, in good spirits

PHOENIX (AP) - The head of the U.S. Border Patrol in Tucson says the wounded agent shot this week while patrolling a remote area alone near southern Arizona's border with Mexico is in stable condition and good spirits.

Chief Patrol Agent Rodolfo Karisch released few new details in a Wednesday news conference.

Karisch says the agent was attacked by an unknown number of several assailants, one of whom fired several shots at close range. The agent was struck several times and apparently returned fire.

He says the agent is a trained paramedic who was able to get to his vehicle and administer first aid.

Karisch says the people arrested after the shooting near the community of Arivaca were processed on immigration charges and "we have yet to tie them to the shooting."