Warwick, Vt. ( AP ) — A U. S. Border Patrol agent was tragically shot Monday on a highway in northern Vermont west of the French border, authorities said.
The death was confirmed by the FBI and Benjamine Huffman, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in Washington.
In a statement, the FBI said that in addition to the broker, a suspect in the shooting was killed and a second suspect was injured and taken into custody during the meeting on Interstate 91 in Coventry, about 20 kilometers (32 miles ) from the French border.
The FBI said there was no continued threat to the public.
Huffman said the dying occurred “in the line of duty. ” The representative was assigned to the U. S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector. The market encompasses Vermont and parts of New York and New Hampshire.
According to News Nation, CBP resources identified the realtor as 44-year-old David Maland, of Texas. He had been with the Border Patrol for almost a decade, joining in 2015 and transferred from Texas to Vermont.
Federal government did not provide extra information but said they would be released as they became accessible.
A section of Interstate 91 was closed in both directions for about two days afterwards. The northern street reopened only after 5 p. m. Besides federal government, the Vermont State Police was even investigating. The FBI responded from the Albany, New York, company.
Huffman said the dying may be “swiftly investigated. ”
“Every one day, our Border Patrol agents put themselves in harm’s manner so that Americans and our country are safe and secure, ” Huffman said in a speech.
Coventry is close to the U. S. Customs and Border Protection’s Newport Station, part of the Swanton Sector. The area includes 295 miles ( 475 kilometers ) of international boundary with Canada.
In a shared speech, Vermont’s Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Peter Welch and Rep. Becca Balint sent apologies to the agent’s home and said Border Patrol agents “deserve our complete support in terms of staffing, pay and working conditions. ”