FBI investigating shooting near Canada-U.S. border in Washington state

An American border patrol agent shot someone in a wooded area just metres away from the Peace Arch crossing in B.C.

The FBI is investigating a shooting near the Canada-U.S. border crossing in Blaine, Wash., south of Vancouver.

The agency says the shooting on Tuesday morning involved U.S. Border Patrol agents in Blaine, just across the border from South Surrey, B.C.

“No agents were reported injured,” said FBI spokesperson Amy Alexander in an emailed statement to CTV News. “The subject was injured and transported to the hospital.”

Alexander said a firearm was recovered at the scene but did not specify how it was connected to the incident.

“This was an isolated incident, and there is no danger to the public,” she said.

“The facts of the incident are actively being investigated by the FBI, and no other details are available at this time,” the statement added. “Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”

The Blaine Police Department says the shooting occurred at the corner of 4th Street and A Street, approximately 100 metres from the Peace Arch border crossing.

“We ask for your assistance and patience in the area while the FBI investigates the incident and the crime scene,” the police department said in a brief statement posted to social media.

“There is no threat to the public,” the police statement said. “All media requests need to go to the FBI.”

A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the U.S. Border Patrol, confirmed that an agent fired his service weapon during an encounter with an individual near the border.

“The subject was injured and received medical treatment,” said commissioner Rodney Scott in a statement.

The agency’s office of professional responsibility is investigating the officer’s use of force, while the FBI leads the criminal investigation, he added.

Len Saunders, a U.S. immigration lawyer in Blaine, says the incident occurred at around 5:30 a.m. and drew a “massive law enforcement” response to a wooded area next to the border that is known to be a hotspot for smugglers.

“There is lots of people who they catch, who usually sneak in through the park or sneak in through the bushes,” said Saunders, who has lived in Blaine for 25 years. “But it’s very rare that you actually hear that someone is shot for an action like this.”

The Canada Border Services Agency declined to comment, directing all inquiries to U.S. authorities.