Family Searches for Answers in Blaine Border Patrol Shooting

BLAINE, Wash. — Federal prosecutors released new details about the Border Patrol shooting that wounded Everson resident Nathaniel Anthony Muniz-Spry. Family members told PNW Daily they are still trying to understand exactly what happened.

Muniz-Spry, 39, appeared in federal court Wednesday on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm after Border Patrol agents shot him during an encounter near the U.S.-Canada border Tuesday morning.

Still facing only the single charge amid the ongoing investigation, his next court appearance is scheduled for July 1.

For relatives, the newly released court documents answered some questions while raising new ones.

“I am Nate’s sister. I very much appreciate the updates,” Randina Muniz told PNW Daily. “The FBI won’t tell me or our mom [anything], so this helps.”

“But I do know I want you to tell people that ICE or drugs weren’t involved,” she said. “People online are so quick to jump to conclusions.”

Complaint Reveals Suspect’s Version of Events

According to an FBI affidavit, Border Patrol agents encountered Muniz-Spry after a border surveillance camera detected a person walking south in a wooded area near Fourth Street and A Street, a location investigators describe as a frequent corridor for illegal border crossings and smuggling activity.

The complaint does not accuse Muniz-Spry of illegally crossing the border.

Instead, investigators wrote that Muniz-Spry told agents he had been drinking for two days and had been with a friend who left to meet a woman. He said he remained in the area and later went into the woods to use the bathroom.

At the scene, he initially told agents he had left his identification in his friend’s van. He later told FBI investigators he believed his wallet had fallen from his pocket when his friend dropped him off.

Family members say they had independently tracked his movements before Tuesday, trying to figure out what happened to a relative they immediately recognized on social media. They said the explanation in the complaint matched what they had already heard from his friends.

“So yeah, I guess he really was going pee,” his sister said.

Questions Initially Raised About White Van

While the affidavit answered some questions, relatives say other details remain difficult to explain.

Security footage obtained by PNW Daily, which investigators also reviewed, shows a white van arriving near the wooded area shortly before the encounter. The vehicle turned around, slowly passed the area a second time and then left. The camera was in power-saving mode and did not capture a complete, uncut recording.

The federal complaint does not mention the van.

“That part is confusing to me,” a family member said before investigators released the complaint. “If he was really just stopped to pee, why did the white van leave? It doesn’t make sense to me.”

The affidavit states that Muniz-Spry told investigators a friend had driven him to the area and left to meet a woman. However, investigators did not identify the friend, describe the vehicle involved or explain whether any vehicle seen in surveillance footage was connected to the case.

Brother Disputes Border-Crossing Theory

Muniz-Spry’s brother also strongly pushed back on initial speculation that the incident involved an illegal border crossing.

“He was not trying to cross the border or anything illegal,” his brother, Chuck Wyatt, told PNW Daily. “Wrong place wrong time kinda thing.”

Federal investigators have not publicly alleged that Muniz-Spry crossed the border illegally. Several residents told PNW Daily that FBI investigators obtained doorbell and other home security camera footage directly from them as part of the investigation.

The complaint states only that agents encountered him in an area known for illegal crossings and smuggling activity after a surveillance camera spotted a person walking near the border.

Shooting Led to Federal Charge

According to the affidavit, agents ran his name and received an “approach with caution” warning tied to a prior incident in which Muniz-Spry brandished a knife at an officer.

Investigators say an agent then felt what appeared to be a handgun concealed in Muniz-Spry’s waistband during a pat-down search.

The agent stripped the firearm from Muniz-Spry’s waistband during the pat-down and yelled “gun, gun, gun” to alert other agents. Muniz-Spry then broke free and ran, according to the affidavit.

Another Border Patrol agent then shot him in the leg, according to federal prosecutors. Agents immediately rendered aid and called for emergency medical services.

While agents waited for the ambulance, Muniz-Spry asked them for “the dignity of have one last cigarette before going to prison forever,” according to the affidavit.

Hospital staff later released Muniz-Spry into federal custody. FBI agents then interviewed him after he waived his Miranda rights. Toward the end of that interview, Muniz-Spry told agents, “My version will justify his actions,” according to the affidavit.

An ATF agent determined the recovered firearm, a loaded Hi-Point C9 pistol, was manufactured outside Washington state, according to the affidavit.

Federal prosecutors charged Muniz-Spry only with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The FBI investigation into the shooting remains active. For previous coverage, see Everson Man Charged After Border Patrol Shooting in Blaine and Video Reveals Timeline Before Border Patrol Shooting in Blaine.

Frequently Asked Questions