Dad was a Border Patrolman.
It was the depression, and though he had a professional degree and license he worked as a Border Patrolman for a while.
According to Dear Ol' Dad, it was very, very common on the southern border for all manner of law enforcement people to drive a Mexican out into the desert and tell him to run. They would then shoot the fellow for 'escaping'. If they didn't run, they'd shoot them on the spot and accuse them of fighting.
I think it was in "The Onion Fields" that Wambaugh discusses the same thing.
I frankly think it's more vile for law enforcement folks to do that than your basic asshole.
Arf