A US immigration officer fatally shot a 26-year-old Colombian man on Monday in Biddeford, Maine, a town of 22,000 people.
The incident happened during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation and comes just a week after an ICE agent killed a Mexican man in Texas. It is likely to intensify criticism of President Donald Trump's deportation drive.
What happened in the Biddeford, Maine ICE shooting?
An ICE officer shot the man after he allegedly tried to flee in a vehicle toward the officer during an enforcement operation. Maine's attorney general's office said the shooting followed a final order of removal against the man. The agent involved has been placed on leave, and the FBI is investigating alongside state authorities.
What did ICE say about the shooting?
ICE said officers tried to stop a vehicle around 7:00 am after surveilling the last known address of a person with a deportation order. According to the agency, the vehicle attempted to flee, and an officer opened fire "fearing for public safety." The driver was struck and later died from his injuries despite emergency services being called to the scene.
What did witnesses at the scene describe?
Daniel Boucher, 71, told AFP he heard "a lot of pop, pop, pops" before seeing agents pull a man with a bloodied head and face from a white car. He said he heard the man say something like "I tried to stop" before he was placed on the ground. Boucher said he later confronted one of the agents, who tried to run him over.
How have community groups and officials responded?
The Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition and Presente Maine jointly identified the victim, without naming him, and said he was authorized to work in the United States. Presente Maine's executive director, Crystal Cron, said the group would not let the death be reduced to "a footnote in this administration's enforcement statistics." Governor Janet Mills said she was "horrified" after an unconfirmed report suggested the man was not the intended target of the operation, calling the enforcement approach "reckless and haphazard."
Were there protests after the shooting?
Images from the scene showed a police cordon and a forensics unit next to a red tent, with residents placing candles and flowers nearby. Protesters carrying "ICE Out!" signs gathered near the scene and at the office of Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican. Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain said the community deserves "clear answers about what happened."
How many people have died in ICE shootings this year?
This shooting adds to a growing list of fatal encounters tied to Trump's immigration crackdown, including the deaths of two US citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year. ICE's heavily armed agents have faced nationwide backlash over aggressive enforcement tactics. Rights groups and state officials continue to demand greater transparency around these operations.
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