Theresa Youngblut was allegedly the driver and the shooter. Felix Baukholt, a German man who died in the gunfight, was in the passenger seat
A 21-year-old Washington State woman has been charged in the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who died in a shootout Monday on a Vermont highway near the Canada-U.S. border.
Charging documents identify her as Theresa Youngblut and allege she was both driver and the shooter in the incident on Interstate 91, near Coventry, Vt. A German man with her, who died in the gunfight, was in the passenger seat of the car when it was stopped by agents. He is identified as Felix Baukholt.
The couple had been under “periodic surveillance” for almost a week before the shooting, after they caused public alarm with suspicious behaviour, court documents say; a concerned hotel employee called to report a couple wearing all-black tactical clothing, with the woman carrying a gun, when checking into the hotel.
FBI Special Agent Leah Bogdanowicz outlines several days of investigation, surveillance, and mysterious activity that proceeded the shooting.
THE GUNFIGHT
On Jan. 20, at about 3 p.m., an on-duty, uniformed U.S. Border Patrol agent pulled over a blue 2015 Toyota Prius hatchback with a North Carolina licence plate to conduct an immigration inspection, the FBI’s affidavit says.
The car was heading south on I-91 and registered to Baukholt.
The German, the affidavit says “appeared to have an expired visa in a Department of Homeland Security database.” The FBI subsequently said Baukholt had a “current visa.”
Three Border Patrol vehicles were present at the stop, meaning at least three agents, and all had their emergency lights flashing.
About 15 minutes into the highway interactions, officers reported shots fired, the FBI affidavit says.
Agents reported that both Youngblut and Baukholt had guns but it was Youngblut who “drew and fired a handgun toward at least one of the uniformed Border Patrol Agents without warning when outside the driver’s side of the Prius,” the affidavit alleges.
“Baukholt then attempted to draw a firearm. At least one Border Patrol Agent fired at Youngblut and Baukholt with his service weapon.”
Three people were hit with bullets: Agent David Maland, 44, was shot and died around 4 p.m. after being rushed to hospital.
Baukholt died at the scene.
Youngblut was injured but survived and is being treated in hospital.
THE TIP OFF AND INVESTIGATION
Interest in Youngblut and Baukholt started Tuesday, Jan. 14, after a concerned employee of a hotel in Lyndonville, Vt., called law enforcement about a man and a woman checking into the hotel. The employee said they wore black tactical garb and the woman had what looked like a handgun in an exposed-carry holster.
The hotel is about 45 kilometres south of where the shooting took place.
When investigators with Vermont State Police and Homeland Security Investigations tried to talk to the couple, they declined any extended conversation, but said they were looking in the area to buy property, the FBI affidavit says.
The couple didn’t seem to like the attention. After speaking with the investigators, the couple checked out of the hotel.
They appeared to have driven 56 kilometres north to Newport to find new lodging.
Samantha Camley, manager of the Newport City Inn & Suites, told National Post that the woman booked the couple into a room there that night, Jan. 14, at 11:06 p.m.
The woman used a Washington State driver’s licence in the name of Teresa Youngblut from Seattle, Camley said. The female guest didn’t send up the same red flags as she did at the previous hotel.
“She was wearing an N95 face mask but I couldn’t say if her clothing (was) tactical — she just wore black and looked how a typical person would dress in the winter … black jacket and a back pack,” Camley said. “None of the staff saw any visible weapons either, nor did she raise suspicion.”
The man kept away from the reception desk, she said.
The couple kept to themselves, and the woman only came to the hotel’s reception desk each day to book another night’s stay.
On Sunday, Jan. 19, the day before the shooting, the couple were again being watched by investigators. They were seen “in similar tactical dress,” the FBI affidavits says, walking in downtown Newport. “Youngblut was observed carrying a handgun at that time.”
In the hours leading up to the traffic stop, investigators had been watching the couple, starting at 11:30 a.m., the affidavit says.
At 1:30 p.m. Baukholt was seen entering a Walmart in Newport, Vt., while Youngblut remained in the Prius.
He came out with two rolls of aluminum foil he purchased. He made a phone call in the parking lot, the affidavit says, and was then seen pulling off sheets of foil to wrap items on his lap as he sat in the passenger’s seat.
WHAT THE FBI FOUND
After the shooting the highway was closed. It didn’t fully reopen until the next day.
Overnight, investigators with the Vermont State Police, FBI, and ATF used remote bomb detection equipment, including a robot, to inspect the Prius. No explosives appear to have been found but investigators found a lot of other stuff at the scene.
There were guns, ammunition in various calibres, ammunition magazines, spent bullet casings, and intact ammunition, all found in various places on the ground, and on the hoods of Border Patrol vehicles.
There were seven spent 9-milimetre bullet casings, two spent .40-calibre casings, an intact .40-calibre cartridge and intact .380 calibre cartridge.
Border Agents carry 9-mm service pistols. Immediately after the shooting, agents likely moved guns away from suspects, removed magazines and ejected rounds before placing them in a safe location, such as the hood of a law enforcement vehicle, the affidavit says.
The document says officers at the scene told the FBI that a .40-calibre Glock was found near Youngblut after the shooting, and a .380-caliber handgun found on or near Baukholt.
The affidavit says the evidence supports a scenario of Youngblut shooting the .40-caliber Glock 23 at least twice from the driver’s side of the Prius, and one or more Border Patrol agents returning fire with at least seven 9-millimetre shots.
A Washington state driver’s licence in Youngblut’s name was found outside the car.
Officers allegedly found two packets of “suspected cell phones wrapped in what appeared to be aluminum foil,” based on an X-ray image taken by a bomb squad robot. An iPhone, two other cell phones, and multiple laptops were also found.
A day after the shooting, after a search warrant was issued for agents to search the Prius, the FBI found a lot of items that could inform their investigation, and perhaps solve the mystery of what the couple were doing.
The items included “various pieces tactical gear — including a ballistic helmet, night-vision-goggle monocular, a tactical belt with holster, and a magazine loaded with cartridges; two full-face respirators; 48 rounds of .380-caliber jacketed hollow point ammunition; a package of shooting range targets (some of which were used); two handheld two-way radios.”
Also found were about a dozen electronic devices and multiple removable electronic storage devices, documents containing identification, utility, lease, travel, and lodging information from multiple states; “and an apparent journal found among Youngblut’s identification documents.”
There is no information about the contents of the journal.
None of the documents explain what investigators think might have been going on, or describe a theory of the case.
Youngblut is charged with using a deadly weapon to assault, resist or impede federal law enforcement, and another charge of assault with a deadly weapon in the fatal shooting.
She has not yet appeared in court or had an opportunity to offer a defence. The complaint filed in court contains allegations only.
Her public defender lawyer, Stephanie Baer, whose office was appointed Friday, declined to comment on the case or Youngblut’s medical state.
Acting United States Attorney Michael Drescher said in a release: “The events leading to this prosecution tragically demonstrate how the men and women of law enforcement regularly put their lives on the line as they try to keep our communities and our country safe.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is deeply grateful for those with the courage to do such dangerous work. We intend to honor them, and the memory of Border Patrol Agent Maland, by performing our prosecutorial duties so that justice may be done.”
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