A masked woman was taken into custody while her male accomplice was gunned down by police after they killed an on-duty Border Patrol agent near the US-Canada border in Vermont.
Swanton Sector Border Patrol agent David Maland, 44, had stopped the pair’s small car on Interstate 91, nearly 20 miles south of the US-Canada border Monday when they suddenly opened fire.
Authorities said the American woman and her German national accomplice were already on their radar and were reportedly looking to buy real estate in Vermont.
The couple had been staying at the Newport City Inn and Suites for five days before the incident. There, an employee recalled how the woman refused to remove her face mask during the identification process.
“I did ask her to lower it so I could check her ID, and she refused to, but we don’t push the issue when it comes to stuff like that. We just do the best we can,” the employee said adding that she never saw the male suspect.
Maland, who survived the September 11, 2001 attack, had worked for Border Patrol for about a decade.
“He was a devoted agent who served with honor and bravery. He had a tremendous respect and pride for the work he did; he truly embodies service over self,” a family statement read.
