JACKMAN, Maine — A border patrol agent was wounded and a man is dead following a weekend shootout at the scene of an alleged domestic dispute.
According to Michelle Benson-Fuller, spokesperson with Customs and Border Protection, agents connected to the Jackman border patrol station received a call for assistance from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department around 7:30 p.m. Saturday in responding to a domestic dispute call in Jackman.
The caller had indicated an assault had taken place, Fuller said.
Three border patrol agents arrived at the scene, identified themselves and entered the residence, at which time an individual inside opened fire, wounding one of the agents.
Fuller said the agents returned fire as they vacated the residence to set up a secure perimeter and wait for assistance from other law enforcement agencies.
A Maine State Police tactical unit entered the residence early Sunday morning and found the suspect in the shooting dead inside.
The injured border patrol agent was taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated and released, Fuller said.
Fuller would not identify the agents involved or the suspect and said the entire case has been turned over to the Maine attorney general’s office for investigation.
The attorney general’s office did not immediately return messages left Sunday night.
Seriously? If I am the victim in an assault, or any other crime, I want the first law enforcement officer available to respond. The only clown in this situation is the guy who was firing upon officers and got himself killed.
If I were being assaulted, I would be willing to be assisted by anyone that was willing to help, be that a LEO, citizen on the street, or criminal on the run from the LEOs. I need help now not someone to investigate the assault or murder in a little while.
It won’t take long for your comment to be taken down.
If I’m living in Jackman and I need emergency help, I want it fast. Which would I rather have? The Border Patrol, which has a barracks in Jackman, or the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department, which is based in Skowhegan. I’ll take the nearest source. I’m sure these officers go through the same training as any other in the state.
It is too bad that Seamus’s Comments have been taken down, I for one would like to be able to judge the comment for myself.
He seems to be commenting on a facit of law enforcement that many are not seeing.
As State and local law enforcement is being cut for lack of funds at the State and local levels the Federal law enforcement agencies are helping to fill the gaps. State and local agencies are not getting funding because Federal taxes are so high that State and local governments can and do not get enough money to operate.
But we should be following the news from Washington about an aledged law enforcement program that seems to have had Federal LE telling FFL holders to ignore Federal Laws and allowing known and suspected gunrunners to purchase firearms lillegally so that the Federal LEA could follow and capture those doing the smuggling. the Federal LEA aledgidly lost control of the weapons and later the weapons were used in the murder of federal LE agent(s).
Congress is now investigating the incident and seems to be being hindered by people in the Federal LE hierarchy at both thae Departments of Homeland Security and Department of Justice. Presidential priviledge has just been invoked to prevent the Congress from performing its Constitutionally mandated oversite.
Federal law enforcement agencies are run out side of State and local control. This is a problem that seems to be getting worse.
The point I was trying to make, maybe a bit too vehemently, was that in a perfect world responses to domestic violence calls should be done by State and local police. I don’t wish that the Border Patrol had just sat on their hands when called here, only this type of police work strikes me as outside BP jurisdiction. Because of their mission to protect the border, they have alot more leeway when it comes to search and seizure. To expand that into non-border situations is troublesome.
State and local law enforcement agencies are being starved while Federal LE is being enlarged.
This is happening because funding for the State and local LE is being userped by Federal taxes and used and disbursed by Federal agencies.
As we are, or should be, dependance on LE from the Federal LE is not a good. Case in point is the Fast and Furious debacle and the apparent attempt to obstruct Congress from doing its Constitutional DUTY in overseeing Federal programs. In this case the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department.
Sir, when you are getting your ‘axx’ kicked, and the nut whose doing so has a gun, you don’t care from where or what Agency the back-up comes from. Been there, been whooped and survived to learn and spread ‘The Word’. The next time that you’re getting the crap kicked outta you, think about it !
As I said, I am glad that someone responded to this call. I only wish that it didn’t have to be the BP, due to the factors I listed above. Perhaps this incident justifies remanning Jackman with a local or state cop.
The state has given federal law enforcement based in this state state police powers to help out local law enforcement when needed. The federal government has also done the same with local law enforcement. Domestic violence calls are the worse for law enforcement because most of the time a weapon is involved and most cops are killed or injuried during these calls. The Border Patrol and Immigration officers based in this state are some of the best who have done great things when needed.
I agree with you except one thing. There is no such thing as “State Police powers”. It is called mutual aid and they assist when asked when outside its own patrol duties. Just because they are FEDS does not mean they know how to enforce Maine Law
Agreed. If that’s the way it works, why not give ALL law enforcement officers within the state of maine full state police powers, make them actual troopers and eliminate all the local and county agencies completely.
sounds good to me
I support ALL law enforcement officers not matter what color uniform they wear or whether they are local, county, state, or federal. There should be no “jurisdiction” barriers by any agencies when it comes to calls for assistance. In this situation the article says that the caller claimed an assault HAD taken place. Was the assualt still occurring (i.e. beating, fist fight) when the agents arrived so they had to take immediate action? Was the victim still inside the residence or was the attacker all by himself whenn they arrived? Many times when an assault HAS taken place, the victim has been able to leave the place where it occurred and gone to a neighbor’s, relative’s, friend’s place and this is were the call is made to report the assault I had to think that an officer was wounded and a man is now dead when the assault might have involved something like a slap or shove. I know an assault is what it is no matter how serious in nature. I am totally against physical violence ESPECIALLY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE! The point I am trying to make is the agents already knew the deputies were responding. They were the primary investigating agency and unless the assault was still ongoing when the agents arrived, they should have just secured the perimeter and waited for the deputies and possibly the TACT team to get there.
Wow, really? These people put their lives on the line each day to protect us, be a little grateful.
the agents got my support good job hope the wounded agent is gonna be ok
I suppose we should be “happy” that this regrettable incident took place in the rural Maine border rather than Arizona’s, or it would be politicized ad nauseum by both parties clear into November.
No winners here, but we should recognize the necessary work done by the agents, and thank them sincerely.
I would imagine whoever was assaulted by this jerk was glad to see help arrive. That they showed up quick and took care of business all the better. Final score…..Border Patrol 1…..wife beater 0.
Really? That schmuck through diplomacy out the window when he assaulted his wife and opened fire on the BP Agents. And They are all certified LEO graduates of the FLETC Academy in Brunswick Georgia.
No doubt they are well trained in defusing domestic violence situations, what with having a primary mission to capture illegals and smugglers.
they have all the training and then some that any deputy or police officer has and quite a few of those federal agents were local PD at one time or another.
Thank you for having common sense. Most agents go t0 FLETC in Artesia, NM now though :)
Unless they are one of the old Glynco ‘oldie’s’ :} like so many of us are. You folk’s in Jackman did good. 1 wounded is not great but it beats a funeral. That the bad guy didn’t make it because he did himself is a part of the job. Realize that, accept it as a part of life and move on. But you did good and no one can take that away from you !
Glynco ’77
Seems to me like it was a diplomatic end.
Border Patrol officers sure do help out especially in the sticks where help can sometimes be an hour or more away and backup even further.
My first response was: Why the hell are border patrol agentsresponding to a domestic violence call?
If someone came crashing through my door yelling they were “border patrol” — not sure how I’d react … certainly different that if they identified as uniformed State Police or County Sheriff …
Still, domestic violence or not, I would expect them to wait outside the door unless there was clear probable cause — like a gun already being fired inside the house, or clear screams for help.
Doesn’t really matter what the facts were — a guy is dead, another wounded .. and the Attorney General is not going to challenge the Feds
Yes indeed. Let’s not dwell on what the facts were. I agree that would be entirely a waste of time. The fact that a domestic violence assault had occurred? Not relevant. The fact that the officers identified themselves before entering the house where it occurred? Not even a bit related. The fact that this man shot at a uniformed officer wounding him? Beside the point. The fact that these officers returned fire while being shot at? Nope. Forget that. Yes, let’s leave all those facts out and just decide right now that these officers should have heard that call for help, ignored it, and gone straight home without “interferring”.
Just because you are a police officer and have “identified yourself” does not give you the right to tresspass on private property, especially when it is a citizen’s residence. There does still exist this little set of words known as the bill of rights and it just so happens that it is still the law of the land.
Probable cause is also the law of the of the land.
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
And if there is a call from someone about domestic violence and an assault, does that not constitute ‘probable cause’? You want the officers to stay outside the house unless they hear a scream or a shot to indicate further assault? How do you know the person who called for help is not unconscious or dying inside? State Police, police from other jurisdictions, and Border Patrol are available to assist other police.
That was my point, why else would I point out probable cause in response to the post from jtc_dot_827?
I could be mistaken but I believe with the passing of the Patriot Act, and further more with the NDAA, we are now in a “police state” which basically means they can come in if they want to… before everyone flips out on me, I already said I could be mistaken, but this is the way I understood it.
Domestic violence is domestic terrorism. Misdemeanors are acts of terrorism too. Multi-jurisdictional task forces are the result. Most don’t know what the NDAA even is because they only watch and listen to prolefeed.
So again, where does it say anyone was trespassing? SOMEONE called from there. There’s one invitation. If a crime has occurred, the police are OBLIGATED to investigate. There is another invitation to some extent. If there were some girl scouts selling cookies, can he shoot at them too?
You are sounding more like someone who got busted beating his wife than someone who actually cares about constitutional rights.
are you kidding me? I hope you never get assaulted in your home and then you can tell the police to turn around and go home. You people are unreal!
The answer is because they were the closest available law enforcement.
Is there anything in this story that indicates they weren’t invited into the home by someone authorized to invite them? Is there anything that indicates they DIDN”T have “clear probable cause?” Just curious if I missed something.
It also doesn’t say who shot him. Maybe he did. I’ll await some more facts.
There was a 911 call for help where the Border Patrol was asked to help, thats enough probable cause for any LE agency and border patrol is a federal law enforcement agency. They are Federal Agents who can enforce any law of the US within 100 miles from the border. They have alot more authority than people think, and usually dont use it because they concentrate on the border itslef and and the main border issues, drugs and illegal immigration. The border is not just the line that separates Canada from the US, it goes 100 miles inland so they are allowed to help any agency that asks for help or go in, in case that those other agencies are not available.
I’m pretty sure they had probable cause when the deceased assaulted his family
They have always helped out up there. The closest sheriff could be 1 hour away. It is the most geographic isolated town in the state.. 1 hour to Bingham 1 hour to greenville and both of them are small towns.
I would react exactly the same. Because I am peaceful and love my wife of 45 years, they would be there to check with me about a neighbor, help me because I called, or have knocked on the wrong door. Cop mwants to talk to me, I’m his man. There is enough braggadocio on this site to make Wyatt Earp nervous.
Agreed, and the ones sporting all the testorsterone on here would be the first ones crying when the cops didn’t get there fast enough when they themselves were getting the beating…….
I totaled my car a mile from the Jackman border crossing in a snowstorm in 2003. The nearest State Trooper was nearly 100 miles away in Skowhegan. Some places in rural Maine are lucky to have 1 or 2 officers on at any given time, and backup is never close by. So I’ll ask you….Why SHOULDN’T the border patrol respond to incidents when their backup has been requested by local law enforcement?
JohnYesterday 07:18 PMThe state has given federal law enforcement based in this state state police powers to help out local law enforcement when needed.According to John, if the feds do have full state police powers, why didn’t the border patrol handle your accident?
Because I wasnt laying dead or dying on the side of the road and it wasn’t an emergency where someone’s life was potentially at risk? If you’re going to try and be a dink you should come up with something better than that lame attempt.
wtf? whats with the name calling? what i said was if john is correct with the border patrol having full state police powers, why didn’t the border patrol handle your accident? IN OTHER WORDS, THEY COULD HAVE SAVED THE TROOPER FROM HAVING TO MAKE A 200 MILE ROUND TRIP TO COVER THE ACCIDENT!
Also, were you making a statement or asking a question: Because I wasnt laying dead or dying on the side of the road and it wasn’t an emergency where someone’s life was potentially at risk?
Where does it say “they crashed” through the door yelling? How do you know the shooter didn’t invite them in with the intent to kill them so he wouldn’t go to jail?
Just because the author of this article didn’t detail every teeny tiny step, like ‘officer #1, so number as he was first to get out of the car, raised his left hand because he’s a south paw, weighing in 200 lbs and rapped loudly 4 times with a psi 30 lbs and yelled at 8 decibles, waited 15 seconds and repeated the former steps, 4 times per minute for 5 minutes, doesn’t mean they crashed through the door.
Let’s investigate the other side of your question. Imagine you’re being assaulted in a remote area. You call 911, and the nearest State/County Law Enforcement Officer is an hour away, or you can have a member of a Federal LE agency there within minutes. Would you prefer to wait, or have someone at least come in to stabilize the situation and provide for your safety? Every time a member of our law enforcement community responds to a call for aid, there’s danger. Let the AG and CBP conclude their investigation, and then we can see what really happened.
As a side note, however, I wonder why, with Route 201 being a heavily traveled road (and primary route to Quebec City), there’s no trooper stationed in Jackman anymore. When I was a kid, we had some good ones, like Larry Gauthier and Bruce Staples. When you know who your cop is, it enhances the safety and security of the entire community, something that we as a society have lost in this environment.
“My first response was: Why the hell are border patrol agents responding to a domestic violence”
Read the article and the answer is fairly apparent as to why Border Patrol were present.
“According to Michelle Benson-Fuller, spokesperson with Customs and Border Protection, agents connected to the Jackman border patrol station received a call for assistance from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department around 7:30 p.m. Saturday in responding to a domestic dispute call in Jackman.”
If someone comes through your door identifying themselves as law enforcement ( from any agency) and you know that an assault had just been reported in which you were involved, I would suggest that you put your weapon down and listen to their instructions very carefully and avoid any further confrontation.
i’m sure you’re qualified to make that judgement. Thank God these guys were available, they might have stopped the next Steven Lake style family murder. Even if they saved one, it was worth it.
Good job. Probably stopped the next Steven Lake from hurting someone
Clearly you know nothing about the law enforcement agencies of this country.
These people are trained law enforcement professionals who apparently have signed MOU’s with state and local police to help when people are in danger. The Customs Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement entity and while they likely not routinely investigating domestic violence, they have the training, personnel and expertise to act when called upon.
Very good job officers.. May you get well soon. and back on the job.
He knew he was dead when he pulled the trigger he committed susicide.
I know that anyone would be a fool to mess with the BP
Its is what it is, dont like it change it, but dont say its a lie because you dont like it. As it is now the border is 100 miles deep. By the way its not my theory, go read a little bit it would do you some good.
I’m not saying it’s a lie, I’m saying it is too much police power for the mission. A federal agency that unilaterally extends it’s jurisdiction 10 fold merely by issuing a policy statement does not create reality. The fact that a court has yet to rule on the absurdity of the 100 mile rule, does not make it sound.
So Jackman is 100 miles from the border? Hmm think you need a geography lesson!
I understand how you may have trouble following the thread over the din of your own exclamation points, because most of my posts have been deleted. Please see “Angie” above for reference to the 100 mile rule.
no it is only 16 miles to the canadian border from jackman. I grew up in jackman maine
If the big government is so bad and federal police is not welcome to help when asked, then make sure your state, (“you” though taxes instead of takin in so much welfare) takes care of business and pays for more local and state police. Try opening fire against a local or state LE and see if they will not shoot at you just like this agent did. It was either him or the other guy and Im glad it was that guy that died today and not the agent.
Seamus37 you have your own opinion but as a first responder in northern maine, Border Patrol play a huge part in assisting state, county, local LEO’s, Fire and EMS services!!!!!! I will not sit here and argue with you but as LEO’s in Aroostook County especially in Border towns call for State and County for back up, I’ve had heard of them waiting 30 min to an hour but BP was only a few minutes away to assist!!! If I or my family is in a situation where LEO is needed I could care less if its BP or FBI or State Police as long as someone is there to help me and my family!!!! They play a huge part in emergency response that not too many people know about like assisting with traffic at major fires to assisting in medical emergencies and assisting local, state and county leo’s.
Fair enough sir. No doubt they do good work. My only concern is the creeping national security state. Day to day on the ground they must provide a needed service.
I know what you mean sir. I am just saying. Myself and my family are firm believers in the 2nd!!! So if they have to show up, I only hope they are there to ask questions.
Time for your medication.
Apparently you have already taken your medication. That must be why it is so easy to ignore the massive infringement on rights “guaranteed” by our Constitution and Bill of Rights since September 11. But maybe you haven’t experienced being threatened by armored and armed young men of the ICE while out picking fiddleheads on the St John River. Or while out fishing or hunting. Or while walking the property lines of the farm land that has been in your family for 3 generations. Maybe when something along those lines happens to you you will understand where Seamus37 is coming from. Or maybe you haven’t lived long enough to remember when people who worked for the Border Patrol and Customs were neighborly instead of aggressive.
ICE agent’s actions in this instance may, or may not, be appropriate. This article doesn’t provide enough of a factual basis to decide. Yet many of those that express themselves in these comments spew their preconceived beliefs as if they were facts.
My three cats and I wish you and your cats peace and serenity in these troubled times.
Thanks for your valuable contribution.
My parochialism? You are the only one that fails to see that if the BP wasnt there, and isnt there to help these towns, they wouldn’t have LE in case of accidents,etc. You act as if the boy scouts showed up instead of a police agency. Ah and yes they had probably more chances that the boy scouts would assist than for police to get there in time.
My apologies for letting the internet rant syndrome get the better of me. As I mentioned to northinthecounty above, my main point of contention was with the creeping nationalization of the police.
We now understand your endless point. now let it go and take some meds.
……or take some meds and let it go!
They were asked for help! Get over it!
This 100 mile thing needs clarification. The 100 miles only relates to the reasonbleness (is that a word?) of an immigration checkpoint. Has nothing to do with extended borders or an agents authority. Bp agents can enforce all the same laws in Denver, Colorado as they can in Jackman, Maine.
Yes they have jurisdiction all over the US but it is in those 100 miles where they are free to use it without interjection from another agency. BP stations are only found 100 miles inland, what would be the use of a BP agent if he would have to depend on other agencies such as ICE and local police to follow through on the arrests he made. Unless that BP agent is sent there in order to help them out on a investigation, etc.
I saw a cbp recruiting video that said BP they could enforce all laws of the US (excluding enforcing state vehicle code laws) on the border (100 miles inland) I do know that as federal agents they can enforce all federal laws within the US. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVBF05MtJaE
I cant get over the morons that are actually argueing the fact of who shows up to a domestic dispute. If the guy would of shot the woman and god forbid her children, you would be whining that the law didnt do anything. The coward in my opinion gave up all rights to anything the minute he touched the woman.
Is that 100 Maine Casino Miles or 100 miles on a map?
Lawn Dart, another clarification needs to be made. CBP can use their authority within 100 miles of a Port of Entry. When the Inauguration happens in Jan 2013, CBP will be there with the Dulles Airport Port of Entry used as their authority basis. Been done every Inauguration for the past 30 years.
Le it go!
Time to take down this clowns privilges.
Back to J-Skool for your headline writer. The headline intimates that maybe someone was trying to drive a vehicle through the ICE check point or something, and has nothing to do with the real story.
I thought the headline exactly related to the story. It doesn’t say anything about driving through ICE or actually being at the border crossing. Maybe they changed it from the time I read to the time you read it, but the order of the posts would belie that.
You obviously have had little contact with Border Patrol. They are nice, polite, friendly, helpful…all those boy scout attributes if you are a normal person.
Not if you’re getting the crap kicked out of you. Maybe you haven’t noticed how ngentlemanly Mainers are acting toward their housemates lately.
I guess I don’t understand. How can the Border Patrol Agents kill anyone by firing beanbags at them? Oh, that’s right, its only the Mexican Border where Eric Holder’s “gun walking” criminals can shoot border patrol agents who’s only defense is bean bag loaded shotguns.
wabi says it was over a “welfare check”
not sure if that means a “welfare check” ebt
or “welfare check”, check on the occupants
===
Good for you guy’s and gal’s. Glynco and Artesia do pay off !
This guy showed he did not care about life when he shot the officer.It makes one wonder what the outcome would have been it the BP hadn’t been called. Another Lake type murder- suicide?
It seems more people posting here are more concerned the BP was involved. What about the person who was being abused and made the call to 911?
talk about not followin proto call these border agents should stick to borders,why did they not wait for tactical team.now some is a dead hope charges and wrongful death lawsuit happens
Would you feel better if they waited until he killed her?
Educate us – what is the protocol in a domestic? Do you have a clue? Do you know that domestics are the most dangerous situations for law enforcement because emotions are running high and violence is already a given. The
border patrol agents responded – as requested – as law enforcement.
Any fool who pulls – never mind fires a weapon at a law enforcement
agent has to know he’s going down. That is a no-brainer! That’s why someone is dead and for no other reason. These
officers train, risk their lives and put themselves in harms way every
day when they go to work. There is no conspiracy here – at the end of
the day they want to go home safe. If someone is shooting at them they
have every right to protect themselves regardless of why they are there
or by whose invitation or request. There is no cover-up – there is an investigation taking place and when all the facts are determined they will be released as in any ongoing investigation.
was a alleged abuse not confirmed,and u shouldnt be shot for slappin some one around maybe the accuser start the fight
No, but if you shoot law enforcement expect to be shot.
All this talk of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Newsflash, kids. No one has the legal right to break the law. We pay professionals of all kinds (local, county, state, federal) to enforce these laws. We train these individuals and trust their judgement to respond to emergency calls. If someone called in an assault, the closest mutual aid agency is obligated to respond. This is the public expectation to “Serve & Protect.” All you people who want to criticize after the fact should be glad we have such competent public servants to assist us in a time of need–regardless of whether they are beat cops, state troopers or federal border agents!
Never any good news from Jackman…BTW,there is no hospital in Jackman…
Yes there is a hospital, it may be small, but there is still one here.
The Jackman Region Health Center is a health center affiliated with Central Maine Medical Center.
Typical “No Comment” from a high – falutin government representative. Not answerable to the general public. Another autonomous government agency.
Somerset Sheriff unable to handle the case calls in the feds. Then, they call in the State. Three law enforcement agencies swoop into a house. Some unidentified person is killed and all we get is that same snotty nosed reply – “No comment.” Even worse – the case has been turned over to the State Atty. General’s office.
Somerset County’s inability to handle this simple domestic assault case should have led to a call to State Police, instead of the US Border Patrol.
From all that can be gleaned from this report, the US Border Patrol Agents didn’t try to talk whomever out, they just went in pistols poppin’. I don’t know whether this is what happened. Unfortunately, the person in charge of releasing information just froze up.
Something much like this happened not too long ago up along the border. Reporters were deprived of any pertinent information in that case, too. Cops up there operate like they belong to a secret society.
Look outside your window. There are black helicopters overhead right now.
Key the armchair CIS detectives!
Maybe he doesn’t know anything yet.
The point I was trying to make, maybe a bit too vehemently as evidenced by my deleted posts, was that in a perfect world responses to domestic violence calls should be done by State and local police. I don’t wish that the Border Patrol had just sat on their hands when called here, only this type of police work strikes me as outside BP jurisdiction. Because of their mission to protect the border, they have alot more leeway when it comes to search and seizure. Expanding that leeway and mission mindset into non-border situations is troublesome.
BP agents are federal law enforcement agents and have had extensive training. They are qualified to respond.
I’m sure there are parts of the military that also have the training to respond to these situations. The point I’ve been trying to get across with limited success is that having local police respond to these incidents is the optimum situation.
That may be, but in rural Maine that’s not always possible. When someone is in need of law enforcement “protocol” should be closest available law enforcement officer from any agency. If I need help I will be grateful for anyone who shows up in a timely fashion and most grateful to whomever shows up first!
why were BP agents responding to a domestic? are they seconded as police? Do they have the correct training and experiendce to fulfill policing duties?
something is not right here.
Um lets see, they go through more training than any State Police agency in the country and sometimes better training than the FBI. Use your damn head!
For all of you complaining about the police and border patrol, why don’t you try going to a country where the police are so corrupt and are run every day by the drug cartels. Can’t wait until you have a true emergency and have to wait for days and weeks for help, if you can get the help. If you don’t like it move to another country, if not I suggest you shut your mouths and let them do there job!
Glad the officer is going to be okay!