WordPress download_url() function “transfer closed” error

I was trying to use the WordPress download_url() function to download https://geolite.maxmind.com/download/geoip/database/GeoLite2-City.mmdb.gz.

I get this error transfer closed with 15867897 bytes remaining to read. I’m using this in a Vagrant VVV environment. I’d like to know why this happens and how to fix it.

Edit: This was working before when I started using it for a plugin I was developing 3 months ago. That was on Vagrant VVV environment on an Ubuntu 14.04 host. Now I’m using the same environment on an OSX 10.9.5 host. Not sure if that’s relevant since it’s the same VVV setup. I’m sure there’s an alternative, like doing this download directly with CURL instead of relying on WordPress functions. But that would be my last option.