Arizona sheriff wants you to take a gun hiking over Memorial Day weekend so you can shoot Mexicans

Pinal County, Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu is warning people to arm themselves if they go hiking over Memorial Day weekend because he thinks drug cartel hitmen will be trolling the desert looking for Americans to shoot.

According to the sheriff's office, Mexican cartels are sending out assassins aka "sicarios," so they can kill rival cartel "rip crews" who often ambush the cartel's drug runners and steal money and the drugs, according to ABC 15.

The office claims multiple gun battles have broken out along the border and they say that there has been a rise in armed conflict with the drug runners.

For those hoping to go camping or hiking in the Arizona desert on the U.S./Mexico border, Babeu encourages folks to use main roads and avoid areas known for drug smuggling. The office didn't clarify if there was a sudden outbreak of drug cartel tourism expected over the Memorial Day holiday, however.

He also used the cautionary words to blame President Obama for this previously unknown danger.

"It’s a distressing reality that President Obama is unwilling to protect the public from armed incursions across the border and well into Arizona," he said. "We are seizing thousands of pounds of their drugs and yet Obama’s response is to erect signs that warn American citizens that it’s not safe to travel."

Babeu said he refuses to tell American citizens not to travel. "I’m telling our citizens that want to enjoy the outdoors to travel armed and not let these drug cartels think they have any control over American soil."

Presumably, President Obama meant it wasn't safe to camp out along the U.S./Mexico border where drug cartels are known for killing people. At no point in his presidency has President Obama ever told Americans not to travel.

Babeu is also running for Congress in the first congressional district. He previously ran in 2012 in the fourth congressional district.

Check out the local report below: