Gunfire Erupts At Locked Border Gate

A U.S. Border Patrol agent doing his job near the Canadian line was met with gunfire at a locked port of entry—an ugly reminder that even “quiet” borders can turn dangerous in seconds.

Quick Take

Federal prosecutors charged 26-year-old Cullan Zeke Daly (also known as Blu Zeke Daly) with attempted murder of a federal officer and assault with a deadly weapon.
Authorities say Daly fired first at a Border Patrol agent around 1:00 a.m. at the Pittsburg Port of Entry in northern New Hampshire; the agent returned fire and struck him.
The FBI Boston Field Office is investigating, and Daly remains hospitalized under guard.
Officials are also reviewing a possible link to another case involving a Vermont “cult shooter,” though details are not yet public.

What Happened at the Pittsburg Port of Entry

U.S. officials say the confrontation unfolded early Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, near the U.S.-Canada border in remote Coös County, New Hampshire. After midnight, Daly drove to the Pittsburg Port of Entry while it was closed, with its gate locked. When a Border Patrol agent activated emergency lights and exited his vehicle, investigators say Daly fired a handgun at the agent. The agent returned fire, striking Daly, who was later transported for medical treatment.

The timeline leading up to the shooting matters because it shows this was not a random encounter at a busy crossing. Authorities describe an earlier contact Saturday evening in Stewartstown, New Hampshire, when an agent encountered Daly and asked whether he had used other names. Daly drove away, and the agent followed at a distance. That chain of events ended hours later at the locked gate, where the situation escalated into an armed attack.

Charges, Penalties, and the Federal Standard of Proof

Federal prosecutors in New Hampshire charged Daly with attempted murder of a federal officer and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. Reporting based on the charging information says the counts carry a potential combined penalty of up to 40 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines. Daly remained hospitalized and under guard, according to the coverage. The Border Patrol agent’s name has not been publicly released, a common practice in ongoing federal investigations.

The FBI Boston Field Office is leading the investigation, and preliminary findings reported by officials indicate Daly opened fire first. That point is central for public accountability, because it frames the agent’s return fire as defensive rather than punitive. No publicly available documents in the provided reporting explain Daly’s motive for arriving at a closed port of entry after midnight, and authorities have not released additional evidence such as body-camera footage or surveillance video in the cited reports.

Why This Case Is Getting National Attention

Media coverage has highlighted that Daly identifies as transgender, which became a notable aspect of the news cycle surrounding the shooting. The available reporting supports that the suspect’s identity has drawn attention, but it does not provide evidence that identity itself explains the alleged crime. What is supported, based on official statements relayed in reporting, is the operational reality: a federal officer at a border checkpoint faced a lethal threat and responded to stop it, reinforcing why border enforcement remains inherently high-risk work.

Potential Links Under Review—and What’s Still Unknown

Authorities are investigating whether there is any connection between Daly and another incident described in reporting as a Vermont “cult shooter” case. At this stage, the provided sources describe the inquiry as exploratory, with no confirmed public findings tying the cases together. That limitation is important: linking cases prematurely can mislead the public and undermine confidence when facts later change. For now, the most concrete facts remain the charges, the location, and the reported sequence that the suspect fired first.

Border Patrol Officer’s Shooter Identifies as Transgenderhttps://t.co/T5XQMRhldE

— PJ Media (@PJMedia_com) February 26, 2026

For Americans frustrated by years of soft-on-crime messaging and policy drift on enforcement, this incident underscores a basic truth: the rule of law depends on frontline officers being able to do their jobs safely and decisively. The Constitution does not require federal agents to absorb gunfire before defending themselves, and nothing in the reporting suggests that happened here. As the case moves forward, the public should watch for court filings, FBI findings, and any evidence released that clarifies motive and the full sequence of events.