Gregory Bovino is now under criminal investigation

<h3>18 U.S.C. § 242 — Deprivation of rights under color of law</h3><ul><li>Alleged conduct shows a federal official (CBP/Border Patrol commander) using force (throwing a gas canister) against protesters/observers during an operation, i.e., acting under color of law.</li><li>If the deployment was not justified by lawful crowd-control necessity and targeted nonviolent gatherings/observers as described, it supports willful use of unreasonable force depriving constitutional rights (e.g., First/Fourth Amendment interests).</li><li>Gaps: article does not specify injuries, dispersal orders, threat level, or Bovino’s stated justification; those facts are central to willfulness and reasonableness but the recorded footage and county criminal investigation indicate plausible elements.</li></ul><h3>18 U.S.C. § 241 — Conspiracy against rights (potential)</h3><ul><li>“Operation Metro Surge” and broader described pattern (tear gassing nonviolent gatherings, detaining children, abuses against protesters/observers) could support a theory of coordinated action to suppress protected activity.</li><li>Gaps: no explicit agreement among agents is described; would require evidence of coordination or directives linking participants to an unlawful objective.</li></ul><h3>Minnesota assault / reckless endangerment-type offenses (state-law exposure; exact charging statute not specified in article)</h3><ul><li>Throwing a chemical irritant canister into a crowd, releasing gas potentially containing toxicants, can constitute unlawful application of force or reckless conduct creating risk of bodily harm.</li><li>The county attorney publicly lists Bovino’s conduct among 17 active criminal investigations, indicating state prosecutors view the incident as potentially chargeable.</li><li>Gaps: the article does not detail who was exposed or harmed, distance, warnings, or compliance with use-of-force policies.</li></ul><b>Conclusion:</b> This matter presents likely illegal, potentially criminal exposure centered on alleged excessive force under color of law and state assault/recklessness theories, not merely a procedural irregularity, pending fact development about justification, intent, and harm.