A shooting incident occurred on January 20 during a routine border control check. The FBI has now identified the 21-year-old American woman as the main suspect, who was a passenger in the vehicle with a 44-year-old German man. The German man allegedly pulled out a weapon and the 44-year-old border agent was shot and later died in the hospital. The German man also died at the scene.
According to court documents, the two suspects had a arsenal of weapons and tactical gear in their car, including ammunition, a ballistic helmet and night vision devices. NBC News reported the findings.
There are conflicting reports about the German man, identified as Felix Bauckholt. He was reportedly a young and talented IT professional who had lost his H-1B visa, a work visa for highly skilled workers, in 2022. However, the FBI initially stated that the German man had a valid visa.
Court documents show that Bauckholt, the registered owner of the vehicle, seemed to have an expired visa in a database of the Department of Homeland Security. The FBI had previously stated that the German man, involved in the incident, had a current visa.
During the control, Bauckholt allegedly pulled out a weapon and aimed at the agents. Both suspects had been under surveillance by local police for several days after a hotel employee reported that the woman had a weapon and they were wearing full black tactical gear.
The FBI had approached the pair directly after a hotel employee’s tip, but they denied having any information and claimed they were looking for real estate. They left the hotel a few days later and were spotted in the city of Newport, with the woman visibly armed, according to US media.
The FBI has now charged the 21-year-old American woman with two counts, including the intentional use of a deadly weapon and hindering the work of the US federal police.