Man allegedly assaulted two Whatcom border agents and threatened to kill eight others
A man who had been banned from a Whatcom County border crossing into Canada because of previous threats and assaults, allegedly hit, kicked, bit and head butted two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and, while in custody, said he would “kill eight border guards when I get out.”
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Brandon Charles Brandreth-Gibbs into Whatcom County Jail on Sunday, Dec. 29, on suspicion of felony harassment with threats to kill, second- and third-degree assault, second-degree criminal trespassing and a felony violation of a court order.
Brandeth-Gibbs, a 27-year-old Point Roberts man, was well known to deputies for harassing, threatening and assaulting CBP employees at the border crossing, according to information provided to The Bellingham Herald by Chief Deputy Kevin Hester. In July of 2019, Brandeth-Gibbs was banned from coming within 500 feet the Point Roberts Point of Entry office except to make legal border crossings.
Deputies were called Friday to the border crossing for reports that Brandeth-Gibbs was at the office and refusing to leave, despite multiple instructions from a CBP agent to do so, the probable cause statement said.
When two CBP agents attempted to take Brandeth-Gibbs into custody, the probable cause statement said he hit one of them twice and bit his arm and kicked the other agent in the groin. He then reportedly threatened one of the agent’s life and family, saying, “If you care for your family you should let me go. Your family is not safe once I get out.”
When Brandeth-Gibbs was placed in a holding cell, he said, “I will kill eight border guards when I get out,” and attempted to break a window in the cell, the probable cause statement said.
The two CBP agents later attempted to secure Brandeth-Gibbs in belly chains and a padded helmet, the statement said, but he head butted one agent in the mouth and kicked the other in the groin and knee. The agent who was head butted suffered a laceration that required multiple sutures to close.
This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 12:53 PM.
