Authorities initiated an investigation on Tuesday following the shooting death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent, which also resulted in the death of a suspect and injuries to another individual on a highway in Vermont near the Canadian border.
Agent David Maland lost his life Monday afternoon after a traffic stop, as reported by a representative from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The individual who was killed was identified as a German national in the U.S. on a current visa, while another suspect injured during the incident was apprehended and is receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.
The violent occurrence led to the temporary closure of a portion of Interstate 91, situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) from Canada, specifically in Coventry, a small community with a population of 27,000 in Orleans County, located in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom region.
Agent Maland, a confirmed U.S. Air Force veteran by the FBI, was fatally wounded near the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Newport Station, which is part of the Swanton Sector that oversees a region covering Vermont, portions of New York and New Hampshire, and 295 miles (475 kilometers) of the international boundary with Canada.
The Derby Line–Rock Island Border Crossing is roughly 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) by road north of Coventry and serves as a key route to Quebec, thus contributing to a higher number of French speakers in northern Vermont compared to other areas in New England.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection expressed their condolences, stating their thoughts and prayers are with Agent Maland’s family during this challenging period. The incident has been described as tragic by Gov. Phil Scott and local state Sen. Russ Ingalls.
Vincent Illuzzi, the state’s attorney from adjoining Essex County, reported that he witnessed what looked to be a traffic stop conducted by a U.S. Border Patrol agent on I-91 near the Newport exit just before hearing about the gunfire later that day. He described seeing little traffic at the time and noted the presence of an unmarked white pickup truck with flashing red and blue lights, indicating that the agent was engaged in conversation with someone by a small blue car.
Illuzzi commented that nothing appeared out of the ordinary during his initial observation; however, upon returning to the highway later, he perceived that the vehicles were still there, with additional law enforcement arriving at the scene. He emphasized the collaborative efforts between U.S. Border Patrol and state and local police, stressing the scarce law enforcement resources available in the area.
The death of Agent Maland marks the first instance of a Border Patrol agent being fatally shot while on duty since Javier Vega Jr. was killed near Santa Monica, Texas, in 2014. Initially believed to be off duty, Vega’s case was later reclassified as being on duty by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. There have been other officers who met tragic fates in the line of duty under different circumstances as well.
The agency has pledged to provide further updates later in the week, while both the Vermont State Police and Orleans County’s state attorney’s office refrained from commenting on the incident on Tuesday. In a joint statement, Vermont’s Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch, and Representative Becca Balint extended their condolences to the family of Agent Maland and highlighted the necessity for better support regarding staffing, pay, and working conditions for Border Patrol agents.
This report was initially published on January 21, 2025, and has since been updated on January 23, 2025, to clarify the specifics surrounding Border Patrol agent fatalities. David Maland’s death is noted as the most recent gunfire incident involving Border Patrol agents since 2014; however, it is acknowledged that agents have also faced fatality under varying circumstances.
