US Marine Killed by Border Patrol on Drummond Island

The Story

An interesting story developed early Thursday and continued with coverage today coming from remote Drummond Island, just east of the upper peninsula mainland.  Here is how it developed as reported in the local Sault Ste. Marie Evening News with updates:

9 a.m. Sept. 25

SAULT STE. MARIE — Michigan State Police at the Sault Post are continuing their investigation into a Thursday incident on Drummond Island that has left one man dead.  Details were scant at best as state troopers were not yet ready to release either the name of the deceased or the cause of death.

The official version of events, as of the latest press release issued at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, reveals that two U.S. Border Patrol Agents were assisting in a search for a missing person when they discovered foot prints. The agents followed those tracks to a remote cabin on Drummond Island where they were reportedly fired upon. The official account adds that Border Patrol returned fire from their service-issued weapons while taking cover at approximately 2:30 a.m., Thursday.

In response, U.S. Customs and Border patrol were joined by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Chippewa County Sheriff's office and Michigan State Police, including the Emergency Support Team as the law enforcement community flocked to Drummond Island.

Believing there was a barricaded gunman inside the cabin, authorities surrounded the structure and attempted to make contact with the suspect throughout the early morning hours on Thursday to no avail. At approximately 11 a.m., Thursday, entry was gained to the cabin where the deceased was discovered.  In the latest press release detailing this incident, Michigan State Police report the cause of death is unknown at this time and the identity of the deceased is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

                                                                                Michigan State Police presence on Drummond Island

UPDATE 11:10 a.m.

SAULT STE. MARIE — Michigan State Police have released the name of the man the deceased individual who was found on Thursday following a confrontation with U.S. Border Patrol Agents.  Aaron Andrew Furness, 38, of Woodbridge, Virginia has been identified as the deceased.

Furness was currently serving in the U.S. Military, according to a Michigan State Police press release which came out shortly before 11 a.m. today, and had been reported missing on Sept. 23, Troopers expressed the belief that he had Michigan connections and was believed to be in the area.

U.S. Border Patrol Agents were assisting in the search for Furness when they followed footprints to a remote cabin on Drummond Island at approximately 2:30 a.m. Thursday. Reports indicate that at least one shot was fired and federal authorities returned fire as they took cover and Furness retreated to the cabin.

Michigan State Police, the Michigan Department of natural Resources, Chippewa County Sheriff's Deputies and a special Emergency Support team all converged on the cabin and attempted to make contact with Furness throughout the morning before eventually finding him deceased at approximately 11 a.m.  An autopsy will be conducted today to determine the cause of death.

Neither one of the Border Patrol Agents were injured in the Thursday morning shoot-out.  Michigan State Police are characterizing this as an isolated incident adding there is nothing to suggest any imminent threat to the Drummond Island community.

Most of the multiples of other news agencies reporting on the events effectively mimicked the news release of the MSP and the story above.  TV 9&10 News added a snippet from the MSP spokesman Soo MSP Post Lt. David Hopper saying:  "We do have some indication that he was having some issues, some family issues perhaps or personal issues that had probably provoked his wanting to get away."

Analysis:

Of importance in this case is that there were two border patrol agents following footprints leading up to a cabin at 2:30 AM in the morning.  Of similar importance is that this marine is not reported as being AWOL or guilty of any sort of crime, rather he was looking to get away from his problems by getting away from it all and going to a remote island. 

Most people are asleep at 2:30 AM.  When they are in a remote area, waken, and hear people outside their house, probably contemplating breaking in and doing who knows what, they get out their gun.  Aaron was a marine, if he shot at these border patrol agents illegally on his property (assuming the cabin was owned or rented by him) and missed, it was likely a warning shot.  There is no indication that these agents ever tried to identify themselves or their motives, but the dead marine is indicative that they were shooting to kill. 

Meanwhile, the Michigan State Police are giving the public a dog and pony show indicating that the bugbear in this shooting was the marine who heroically volunteered his services to his country, who wanted some time alone, but was actually an unfortunate victim.  Meanwhile, the two border patrol agents are not being held to account for their invasion of a person's domicile at 2:30 AM in the morning, allegedly shooting the person they were sent out to find to check on his safety are apparently free and clear to do this again. 

They assure us that:  "There is nothing to suggest this was anything other than a lone incident involving Furness and there is no threat to the Drummond Island community."  If border patrol agents are on Drummond Island going to remote cabins at 2:30 AM after 'following footprints' of someone who a family reports missing, there is indeed a threat to the Drummond Island community, but not from Aaron Andrew Furness who died serving his country, likely shot by inept lawbreaking federal agents of the border patrol working against the ideals of this country in this case.

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You don't become and continue in the US Armed Services for 19 years without being an exemplary individual and true patriot. To hunt this man down like he was John Dillinger or Bin Laden, isn't sane. From Douglas's account of the condition of the cabin, it's obvious this was an all out assault of huge magnitude. Thanks for the Furness obituary. 

Douglas, was the damage you described done by the police or the marine? This is definitely a strange incident. Nothing about it makes any sense.

From what I could gather Furness suffered from PTSD.  He had numerous PPO issued against him. He was not supposed to have a firearm.

The feds knew he was in the general vicinity because the car he was driving was found in the area and they got a weak hit from a cell phone tower as to his location.

From then on, everything is sketchy and looks more like a power grab cluster fuck by the feds. A mini Ruby Ridge without the body count. There is something unsettling about the heavy handed way things unfolded.

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