As Dominguez rolled closer to the checkpoint, one of the U.S. Border Patrol’s trained canines began to exhibit behavior agents are trained to recognize immediately. The dog alerted to movement coming from the trunk area of the vehicle, signaling the possible presence of a hidden individual. Canine units are among the most trusted tools in border enforcement, their reactions shaped by months of training and years of field experience. Agents, following established procedures, prepared to investigate further, anticipating anything from undocumented migrants to human trafficking victims concealed in dangerous conditions. The situation demanded caution but not alarm; such discoveries, while serious, are part of the grim reality faced by Border Patrol agents working these corridors. Dominguez was expected to comply, to stop, and to allow agents to confirm what the canine had indicated. Instead, witnesses and surveillance footage would later show a sharp deviation from protocol. Rather than pulling forward or waiting for instructions, Dominguez abruptly shifted the vehicle into reverse, his actions sudden and aggressive, signaling an attempt not just to evade inspection but to escape at any cost.
