A 21-year-old woman has been taken into custody following the tragic shooting of a US Border Patrol agent in Vermont earlier this week. The incident occurred during a routine traffic stop near the US-Canadian border, according to authorities.

Teresa Youngblut, a resident of Washington state, faces charges of assault on a federal law enforcement officer. It’s still unclear if she has legal representation. The victim, 44-year-old Border Patrol Agent David Maland, was shot and later died from his injuries. The shooting took place on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont, about 13 miles from the Canadian border.

The situation began when Maland and other agents stopped Youngblut’s vehicle for an immigration check. Court records reveal that the car, a blue 2015 Toyota Prius with North Carolina plates, was registered to Felix Baukholt, a German national with an expired US visa. The stop turned deadly when Youngblut allegedly fired a handgun at the agents, resulting in the deaths of both Maland and Baukholt. Youngblut was injured and taken to a hospital in New Hampshire for treatment.

Investigators later discovered that Youngblut and Baukholt had been under surveillance since mid-January after a hotel employee reported their suspicious behavior. Hours before the shooting, the pair was seen at a local Walmart purchasing aluminum foil, which Baukholt used to wrap unidentified objects in the car. A search of the vehicle revealed multiple firearms, ammunition, tactical gear, and electronic devices, along with personal documents and a journal belonging to Youngblut.

The case has raised questions about the circumstances leading up to the shooting, as authorities continue to piece together the events of that day. The community and law enforcement are mourning the loss of Agent Maland, who was assigned to the Swanton Sector covering parts of Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire.