Protest Over Deadly Encounter Involving Colombian Man and ICE in Maine
The fatal shooting of a Colombian man by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Biddeford, Maine, has sparked a significant protest. The incident occurred on Monday when an ICE officer, concerned about public safety, discharged his weapon while monitoring a home. Federal authorities suspected the residence was occupied by an individual facing removal from the U.S.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE attempted to intercept a vehicle leaving the residence. As the car tried to evade, an officer fired, deviating from an earlier statement by Maine Sen. Angus King. He relayed that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin described the situation as the officer shooting when the driver allegedly used the vehicle as a weapon. King noted that officers were executing an arrest warrant unrelated to the man shot.
The Colombian Embassy identified the deceased as Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian national. Protests unfolded outside an ICE detention center in Scarborough, Maine. Organizer Todd Chretien addressed the crowd, criticizing ICE’s actions and demanding they leave the state. Protesters held signs reading “Stop the murder” and “End this terror,” drowning out counter-protesters with whistles.
Durán Guerrero’s death marks the second ICE-related fatality in a week. This follows at least nine deaths linked to ICE since President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement. The officers in Biddeford lacked body cameras, fueling uncertainties like the officer’s proximity to the vehicle and ICE’s justification for perceiving public danger.
An ICE spokesperson stated they continually review procedures for officer safety and crime prevention, opting not to discuss specific tactics. DHS’s Office of Inspector General, in conjunction with the FBI, is conducting an investigation, confirmed by Maine’s Senator Susan Collins. The local attorney general is also probing the situation, noting initial findings indicate the driver attempted to flee towards the officer.
Security footage captured from a nearby business shows a white car circling an intersection before law enforcement blocked its course, extracting Durán Guerrero’s body. The timeline of shots fired remains unclear. Witness Daniel Boucher described hearing gunfire and seeing a bloodied Durán Guerrero, who reportedly claimed, “I tried to stop.” Boucher recounted a confrontation with the officer, who claimed the driver attempted to run him over.
Durán Guerrero leaves behind a wife and young daughter. Advocacy groups, including the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente!, claim he had work authorization in the U.S. Neighbor Mary Hayes recounted the emotional aftermath, witnessing Durán Guerrero’s wife mourning over his body. Her sign echoed opposition to ICE.
This Maine incident mirrors another in Houston, where ICE fatally shot 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during an unmarked vehicle pursuit. These events coincide with the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation strategy, highlighted by over 10,000 arrests in late June. The enforcement push drew criticism, particularly after the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota.