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SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency lost one of it's own in a shooting early Tuesday morning. Nicolas Ivie, a 30-year-old Provo native, was shot and killed while on patrol near the Arizona-Mexico boarder.
The youngest son in his family, family members said Ivie followed in his older brother Joel's footsteps, moving to Sierra Vista, Ariz., from Provo to protect the nation's border in 2008.
He and his brother were a team, native Utahns both working as border patrol agents. "And because of their knowledge of horses and stuff like that, it was a big advantage for Nick," said Doyle Daves, a friend of the Ivie family.
Related:
Border Patrol agent shot, killed on duty in Ariz.
A Border Patrol agent was shot to death Tuesday in Arizona near the U.S.-Mexico line, the first fatal shooting of an agent since a deadly 2010 firefight with Mexican bandits that spawned congressional probes of a botched government gun-smuggling investigation.Federal officials said Ivie and his border patrol team responded to a sensor that had gone off in a remote part of the desert just before 2 a.m. Tuesday. His skills were needed, and they rode in on horseback.
"They were on horses when they got shot," Davis said.
Ivie's wife, Christy, and young children — aged 4 years old and 20 months old — got the unexpected news in a phone call no one ever wants to receive: her husband and their father had died in the line of duty.
"You know, she's doing as good as can be (expected)," family friend Marlee Forsburg said.
Forsburg's husband worked with Ivie in their LDS Ward bishopric. Ivie had recently been put in as the second counselor.
Deseret News:
Slain border agent was recently called to Mormon ward bishopric
Border Patrol agent Nicholas J. Ivie had just been called to serve in his LDS Church ward bishopric less than two months before he was shot and killed in Arizona near the U.S.-Mexico border early Tuesday. His stake president spoke to the Deseret News about Ivie's death."Everybody loved him," Forsburg said. "He was very kind, sweet, always reaching out to other people."
Neighbors have been at the Ivie home throughout the day. Family members from Utah have already left for Arizona to support Christy and the Ivie family.
Funeral arrangements for Nathan Ivie are still pending.
Meanwhile, some family members are working to set up a donation account to help cover Ivie's funeral costs. His stake president told KSL News the government benefit plan Ivie had does not cover final expenses.
Beginning Wednesday, anyone who would like to offer financial aid to the Ivie family can donate* to the Nicholas Ivie Memorial Fund at any Zions Bank branch.
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*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
