A U.S. Border Patrol agent in the line of duty and another person were killed Monday in Vermont, just south of the Canadian border, in a shooting, officials said.
The incident happened on Interstate 91 in Coventry Monday around 3:15 p.m., Vermont State Police said.
“A U.S. Border Patrol agent was killed, along with a subject. Another subject was injured and is in custody,” the FBI’s Albany office said.
The FBI did not release details of the incident, but said it was investigating “an alleged assault on a federal officer in connection with a fatal shooting involving a U.S. Border Patrol agent.”
The FBI was working with partners from the U.S. Border Patrol and Vermont State Police yesterday to analyze the scene. Authorities said at the time that there was no threat to the public and that Interstate 91 was closed due to investigations.
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman said in a statement Monday: “Today, January 20, a Border Patrol agent assigned to the Swanton Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol was fatally shot in the exercise of its functions. »
“Every day, our Border Patrol agents put themselves in harm’s way to keep Americans and our country safe. My prayers and deepest condolences go out to our department, the officer’s family, loved ones and colleagues,” Huffman said. “This incident is being rapidly investigated and DHS will release additional information as it becomes available.”
Senators Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch and Representative Becca Balint issued a joint statement Monday saying, “Today, Vermont and the U.S. Border Patrol suffered a tragic loss when a Border Patrol agent assigned to the Swanton Sector was shot and killed near Coventry, Vermont. .”
“Our deepest condolences go out to the agent’s family and the Border Patrol. We will continue to monitor this situation with federal and state authorities and are grateful to the first responders and emergency medical service providers who responded to the scene,” the statement continued.
