ICE agent fatally shoots Colombian man in Maine, the second deadly encounter in a week

A federal immigration agent shot and killed a 26-year-old Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday morning, triggering protests and a federal investigation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said agents were conducting targeted surveillance at a residence linked to someone with a final removal order when the shooting occurred around 7 a.m. local time.

What happened

According to DHS, ICE agents attempted to stop a vehicle leaving the residence they were monitoring. The vehicle tried to flee, and an agent, "fearing for public safety," discharged his weapon. The driver was struck and died from his injuries. In a separate communication to members of Congress, the department used more pointed language, saying the driver had "weaponized his vehicle toward law enforcement."

Witness Daniel Boucher, 71, told Reuters he heard what sounded like firecrackers around 7:30 a.m., then saw a white SUV ram a smaller white car. He said he saw an ICE officer pull the driver from the car. A video clip verified by Reuters showed a white car appearing to meander directionless, with two men in vests on foot trying to stop it, though it was unclear whether the footage was recorded before or after the shooting. Other images posted to social media showed bullet holes in the car's windshield and agents surrounding a body.

The victim

The man was identified as Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a Colombian national, according to a spokesman for Senator Angus King of Maine. The Colombian embassy in Washington confirmed his nationality and requested an explanation from U.S. authorities. The Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine said Guerrero had a work permit and a Social Security number, and was authorized to work in the United States.

Senator King said he was initially told by DHS officials that the victim was the target of the arrest warrant, but was later informed that the man who was shot was not the primary target of the operation. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey announced the agent involved had been suspended pending the investigation.

I heard agony. I heard a howl that came from your soul, that your whole life had just changed and it was never going to be the same.

Investigation and missing evidence

The DHS Office of the Inspector General has taken over the investigation. The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI responded to the scene. Senator King demanded "a full, transparent, and open investigation" but noted a significant obstacle: "Apparently there are no cameras. The agents were not wearing body cameras." As of Monday evening, no video evidence confirming the government's version of events had emerged.

Protests and political reaction

About 200 demonstrators marched through downtown Biddeford later Monday, chanting "Vote her out" outside the office of Republican Senator Susan Collins. Protesters carried signs reading "deport ICE" and "ICE is a domestic terrorist organization." Collins, a moderate up for reelection in November, voted in June 2026 to allocate $70 billion over three years to ICE and border police. She called for a "thorough and impartial investigation" of the shooting.

This is devastating, enraging, and unacceptable.

Broader enforcement context

Monday's shooting was the second fatal ICE encounter in a week. On July 7, an ICE officer fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, a Mexican national, in Houston, Texas, after pursuing him in unmarked vehicles. The Biddeford shooting brings to at least seven the number of people shot dead during immigration enforcement operations since January 2025, when President Donald Trump returned to office and launched a campaign of mass deportations.

ICE arrests in Maine have more than quadrupled since the beginning of June, reaching around 70 per day in early July, according to internal ICE data shared with Reuters. The agency had a significant presence in Maine earlier this year under an operation named "Catch of the Day," which resulted in several large demonstrations. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who replaced Kristi Noem in March, has adopted a more measured public style than his predecessor, according to Le Temps, following the highly publicized killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota last winter.