A US Border Patrol agent has been killed in Vermont near the Canada-US border, authorities say
A U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot and killed Monday in Vermont while on duty near the Canada-U.S. border, according to U.S. federal and state authorities.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) identified the agent as David C. Maland, who was assigned to the US Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector, which covers the border with upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, eastern Ontario and Quebec.
“The thoughts and prayers of US Customs and Border Protection are with the family of Agent Maland at this difficult time,” CBP said in a statement.
Vermont State Police said in a statement that the shooting happened around 3:15 p.m. ET on Interstate 91 in the Coventry, Vt., area, which is approximately 30 kilometers south of the official border crossing of Stanstead, Que.
Local TV station WCAX reported that the agent was shot during a traffic stop. Another person was said to have been shot and killed and another was shot and wounded.
The shooting is being investigated by US federal authorities, including the FBI, with the assistance of state authorities, Vermont State Police said. It said the southbound lanes of Interstate 91 remained closed late Monday night, while the northbound lanes remained open.
“My prayers and deepest condolences are with our Department, the agent’s family, loved ones and colleagues,” Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman said in a statement.
The Canada Border Services Agency also released a statement of condolences.
“We are deeply saddened by the death today of a US Border Patrol agent while on duty in Vermont,” it said. “Our deepest thoughts and sympathies are with the family, friends and colleagues of a valued member of the border security community.”
The Swanton sector has the highest rate of illegal crossings from Canada anywhere along the Canada-US border.
Most of the crossings in this area occur along the northern borders of New York and Vermont with eastern Ontario and Quebec.
In November 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents intercepted a Venezuelan citizen crossing into the U.S. via Stanstead, Que., on a motorcycle and found a loaded .22 semi-automatic handgun, a silencer and two Glock frames totaling 30 9-millimeter rounds.
US President Donald Trump has linked his threats of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods to illegal crossings and fentanyl flowing south across the border. The Canadian government recently announced it will spend more than $1 billion on additional border security measures that will include new helicopters, drones and patrol officers.
Illegal crossings from Canada through the Swanton sector in December fell sharply compared to the previous year, according to the latest data from the US. Border authorities intercepted 510 people in December 2024, compared to 1,178 during the same month in 2023.
