A Border Patrol agent shot and wounded a Russian citizen who appeared to be trying to enter the United States illegally from Mexico, the Border Patrol said.

The agent was trying to arrest the man just after 7:15 p.m. on the U.S.-Mexico border east of Lukeville, Ariz., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement.

"As the agent attempted to arrest the subject, a physical altercation ensued, and the agent discharged his firearm, striking the subject," CBP said.

A border fence in Nogales, Ariz. A Border Patrol agent shot a Russian citizen allegedly attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona on Thursday. (iStock)

The agency said the injured man was flown to a Phoenix hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The border agent was not harmed.

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The FBI and the CBP Use of Force Incident Team are investigating the shooting.