Man shoots guard at border, himself

— A man driving a van with Washington state license plates shot and wounded a female Canadian border guard Tuesday, then died of what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a Canadian police official said.

The shooting temporarily closed the Peace Arch crossing on the U.S.-Canada border. Drivers were diverted to other crossings.

The female Canada Border Services Agency officer was shot in the neck and suffered serious injuries, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Bert Paquet told reporters. She was breathing and conscious when she was flown to a hospital, but he had no further details on her condition.

The officer was in her booth when she was shot. Investigators were trying to figure out what happened and why, Paquet said. They hadn’t confirmed whether the suspect was the van’s owner.

Police were confident that the unidentified man took his own life, on the basis of initial investigations at the scene, Paquet said Tuesday evening, adding that investigators were reviewing video and talking to witnesses. He said “at this time” there were no other suspects.

“Officers will be working around the clock,” he said.

The officer’s identity and other personal details were withheld pending notification of relatives, Paquet said.

The Peace Arch crossing in Blaine is the third-busiest port of entry on the northern border.

Front Section, Pages 4 on 10/17/2012

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