A 39-year-old Everson, Washington, resident has been federally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm following an early-morning shooting incident involving U.S. Border Patrol agents.
Nathaniel A. Muniz-Spry was taken into custody at a Whatcom County hospital on June 16, 2026, following the encounter near the U.S.-Canada border in Blaine.
The charges were announced the following day by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd.
According to federal court records, Border Patrol agents responded to a wooded area near the border after a surveillance camera recorded an individual walking in a location known for smuggling and illegal crossings.
Upon encountering Muniz-Spry and verifying his identity, agents were alerted to an “approach with caution” warning in his records stemming from a prior law enforcement contact.
During the encounter, an agent reportedly felt a gun in Muniz-Spry’s waistband during a search.
The federal complaint alleges that Muniz-Spry resisted and broke away as the agent secured the weapon. He then allegedly attempted to flee and was shot in the leg by a different agent.
Muniz-Spry was taken to the hospital for medical care and later released to law enforcement.
Muniz-Spry is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to an extensive criminal history.
Records list nine prior felony convictions in Skagit and Whatcom counties, including unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen vehicle, and residential burglary.
The case is currently being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Woods. The investigation is being led by the FBI, with assistance from the Blaine Police Department, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The federal complaint is provided below.
📄 Complaint For Violation (775KB ∙ PDF file)
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