An American citizen hiking near the U.S.-Mexico border in California was shot by what authorities called “Mexican cartel terrorists” on Wednesday.

The man was airlifted to a hospital after being shot in the leg, Border Patrol officials said. Agents tracked the assailants back to Mexico, where they escaped.

Gregory Bovino, the chief agent in the Border Patrol’s El Centro sector, said the shooting demonstrates the need for more border defenses.

“The wounded hiker is an ‘I told you so moment’ highlighting the importance of adequate infrastructure the Border Patrol has been championing for years now,” he said.

Labeling the cartel gunman “terrorists” is also a new step for the Border Patrol. It follows President Trump’s order earlier this week that the smuggling cartels be designated as terrorist organizations.

The Border Patrol said the American hiker and a Canadian companion were part of a larger group of hikers in the Jacumba Wilderness area in California.

Two armed men showed up and demanded the American and Canadian hikers approach. The hikers refused and the Mexicans fired “a volley of shots” at them, striking the American.

The armed men then approached and robbed the hikers of their backpacks and cell phones.

Border Patrol agents responded and delivered aid to the hiker while creating a secure location for a Customs and Border Protection helicopter to land and evacuate the man.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.