American Scene: Police say search continues for missing girl, 10

WESTMINSTER — Colorado police looking for a 10-year-old girl who disappeared on her walk to school have found a body in a park, but are not saying whether it is linked to the case and noted Thursday that officers are still searching for her.

The discovery of the body is the latest turn in the disappearance of Jessica Ridgeway that has seen police look for clues in a reported sighting in a car with Colorado plates in Maine and a Wyoming abduction. The FBI said Thursday that abduction was unrelated.

Police spokesman Trevor Materasso said the body “is not intact,” and that has slowed the work of identification. Mr. Materasso said no other information would be released until Friday. Police earlier declined to say whether the body was that of a child.

ARIZONA

Border Patrol kills teen throwing rocks from Mexico

PHOENIX — A U.S. Border Patrol agent opened fire on a group of people throwing rocks from across the Mexican border, killing a teenage boy and eliciting outrage from the Mexican government over the use of lethal force, authorities said Thursday.

The agents in Nogales had responded to reports of two suspected drug smugglers near the border at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. The agents watched the two abandon a load of narcotics, then run back to Mexico, according to the Border Patrol.

As the agents approached to investigate, people on the Mexican side of the border began throwing rocks at them and ignored orders to stop, the agency said.

One agent opened fire. A Mexican official with direct knowledge of the investigation said Thursday a 16-year-old boy was killed in the shooting. The Border Patrol declined to comment further, and would only say in a statement that one person “appeared to have been” shot by the agent.

The Mexican government issued a strongly worded statement, condemning the use of lethal force by U.S. agents in such situations along the border.

“Preliminary information at this time brings forth, once again, serious doubts about the use of lethal force by U.S. Border Patrol agents, something that both the Mexican government and Mexican society strongly deplore and condemn,” Ricardo Alday, a spokesman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington, said in the statement.

REGION

CDC: Meningitis cases reach 170; 14 people die

The government says 170 people now have been sickened in the meningitis outbreak linked to tainted steroid shots, and 14 of them have died.

Idaho becomes the 11th state to report at least one illness. The others are Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

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