In a dramatic turn of events on Monday morning in Biddeford, Maine, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fired a weapon that struck a Colombian citizen, killing him as the vehicle made a sudden evasive maneuver.
ICE officials described the incident as the result of the driver “attempting to flee the scene” and fearing for public safety, the agent “discharged his weapon.” The agent is reported to have been part of the Enforcement Removal Operations unit and has been placed on leave pending investigation.
The death has sparked protests in Biddeford, with demonstrators gathering outside the town hall and the office of Senator Susan Collins to demand a full, impartial inquiry into the use of deadly force by federal agents.
The incident follows a series of similar shootings by ICE, most recently in Houston and Texas, raising questions over the department’s enforcement tactics and the legal status of the targets, many of whom are not citizenship denizens.
Officials have not yet released the name of the victim; the Colombian embassy noted the individual was a 26‑year‑old worker who had been living in the U.S. The investigation will be conducted by the DHS inspector general’s office, according to Senator Collins.
