Border Patrol Shoots Armed Person Near Canadian Border, Authorities Say

NYT Homepage
by Madeleine Ngo
February 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A Border Patrol agent shot an armed individual near the Canadian border in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, early Sunday morning after the person allegedly fired at the agent during their encounter. The incident occurred around 1 a.m., with authorities confirming that the individual was not killed but has since been hospitalized for treatment. Federal officials are investigating the shooting, with the F.B.I.’s Boston field office and the U.S. attorney’s office in New Hampshire leading the probe. Kristen Setera, an F.B.I. spokesperson, stated that agents were collecting all relevant evidence from the scene. The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of shootings involving federal immigration officers. Recent cases, including the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent and a Customs and Border Protection officer in Minneapolis last month, have drawn significant public attention. Internal documents later revealed that an ICE officer had killed Ruben Ray Martinez in South Texas earlier in the year under similar circumstances, further fueling concerns about transparency and accountability within federal immigration enforcement. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott issued a statement following the Pittsburg shooting, confirming that the agent involved was not injured during the encounter. He emphasized that the agency is committed to ensuring the safety of its agents while adhering to proper protocols. However, questions remain regarding the broader implications of such incidents, particularly in the context of ongoing debates about immigration enforcement practices and their impact on communities. This incident highlights the growing tension between federal immigration enforcement actions and public concerns over the use of force by government agents. For readers following news related to immigration policy or police accountability, this story underscores the need for transparency in investigating such encounters and raises important questions about how federal agents are trained and monitored in high-stakes situations.
Verticals
newsgeneral
Originally published on NYT Homepage on 2/23/2026