FBI Probes After Federal Agent Fires on Armed Suspect Near Canadian Border

A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot a man in Pittsburg, New Hampshire. The incident occurred near the Canadian Border in the early hours of February 22. The man allegedly fired shots at the federal agent, prompting the officer to return fire, according to local media reports.

The incident occurred around 1 a.m., near the Canadian Border in New Hampshire, when a man opened fire at a U.S. federal agent, prompting the officer to return fire, an Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) spokesperson told NBC, Boston.

The individual was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Officials have not disclosed the identity of the individual or his condition, according to NBC10.

The Border agent has not sustained injuries and his identity has not been revealed yet. The FBI said its Evidence Response Team is collecting evidence at the scene. The NBC10 reported that the U.S. attorney’s office for the district of New Hampshire is involved in the investigation. Authorities have not disclosed what led to the escalation that resulted in the gunfire.

As scrutiny intensifies surrounding the gun fire incident along the border area, investigative agencies maintain silence.

The Coos County sheriff told WMUR on February 22, the day of the incident, that as the investigation was ongoing, no further information could be shared.

WMUR reported that it contacted the U.S. Border Patrol for comment regarding the investigation, but have not received a response.

Newsweek reported it contacted the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and the FBI for comment on the incident, however, they have received no statements from the investigative agencies.

Both the FBI and the U.S Attorney General’s Office for the District of New Hampshire are investigating the incident. The FBI spokesperson has stated that further information regarding the incident has not been released because the investigation is ongoing.

Similar law enforcement shootings have occurred in recent months. including the case of Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse who was shot in Minneapolis on January 24 by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. The incident had sparked nationwide outrage.

Videos that had surfaced online show a scuffle between Pretti and the Border Patrol officers before the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security later said the agent had fired in self-defense. The investigation in the case is ongoing.