In Biddeford, Maine, protests erupted on Tuesday in response to the fatal shooting of a Colombian man by an ICE officer. The incident occurred as ICE officers conducted surveillance on a home they suspected of housing an individual without legal authorization, and who had a final order for removal from the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement indicating the officer shot the man out of concern for public safety. They detailed that when ICE attempted to stop a vehicle leaving the home, the driver tried to flee, prompting the officer to fire.
U.S. Senator Angus King offered a different narrative based on communication with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. He stated that Mullin conveyed the officer fired because the driver used the vehicle as a weapon. King added that the officers intended to serve an arrest warrant, but not for the individual who was shot.
Identified as Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, the victim was a 26-year-old Colombian national. Protests took place near an ICE detention center in Scarborough, with participants displaying signs such as “Stop the murder” and “End this terror.” Protest organizer Todd Chretien called for the removal of those responsible from Maine.
Counter-protestors briefly appeared at the rally, but their voices were overshadowed by whistles from the primary protest group. The shooting marks the second use of lethal force by ICE in a week, and at least the ninth since a crackdown on immigration began under former President Donald Trump.
There are significant questions surrounding the Biddeford shooting, including the proximity of the officer to the car, whether warnings were given to Durán Guerrero, and how the situation posed a public threat. Notably, the officers were not equipped with body cameras, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the event.
Images revealed bullet impacts on the car’s windshield. The Maine attorney general’s office, alongside the FBI, is investigating the shooting. Initial reports imply the driver possibly attempted to escape towards the officer, who remains unnamed and is currently on leave.
A security camera captured footage showing a white car circling before being blocked by a law enforcement SUV. Officers pulled a limp body from the vehicle, but the video does not confirm when shots were fired.
Local resident Daniel Boucher recounted hearing gunshots and seeing the driver wounded. He reported hearing the victim claim, “I tried to stop.” He overheard an officer asserting, “He tried to run me over,” which Boucher described as a heated moment.
Durán Guerrero is survived by his wife and daughter. Community member Mary Hayes described witnessing Durán Guerrero’s wife in distress over his body. Two immigrant advocacy organizations confirmed he was legally permitted to work in the U.S.
This incident occurs shortly after another fatal ICE shooting in Houston, involving Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, in an operation connected to mass deportation efforts under the Trump administration. The rising number of arrests showcases intensified enforcement, drawing significant criticism following other lethal incidents.