Full Breakdown
ICE Officer Fatally Shoots Colombian Father in Biddeford, Maine
7/16/2026, 4:47:40 AM
Core Event
On Monday, July 13, 2026, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed 26-year-old Colombian national Joan Sebastian Guerrero (also identified as Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero) as his white sedan entered an intersection on Pool Street in Biddeford, Maine. The officer, whose name has not been released, was placed on administrative leave in accordance with ICE policy. No body-camera footage exists.
Background & Context
The shooting occurred during “Operation Catch of the Day,” a federal enforcement surge launched in January 2026 that targeted individuals with final removal orders. ICE had been surveilling the last known address of a person subject to such an order when Guerrero departed the residence in a vehicle. This incident marks the second ICE-involved fatal shooting in a week and the ninth death linked to ICE actions since President Donald Trump began his immigration crackdown in early 2025.
Key Figures & Groups
- Sen. Angus King (Independent, Maine) – received conflicting briefings from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
- Sen. Susan Collins (Republican, Maine) – noted an Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation with the FBI.
- Attorney General Aaron Frey (Democrat, Maine) – said initial statements indicate Guerrero fled toward the officer.
- Governor Janet Mills (Democrat, Maine) – condemned the death as “disturbing and infuriating.”
- Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! – advocacy groups confirming Guerrero’s legal work authorization.
- Colombian Embassy – providing consular assistance and requesting clarification.
Timeline
- 07:00 EDT (July 13) – ICE agents surveilling target address.
- 07:20 EDT – ICE attempts to stop Guerrero’s vehicle; vehicle allegedly attempts to flee.
- Shortly after – Officer fires, striking Guerrero.
- Evening – DHS posts statement on X; Governor Mills and Colombian President Gustavo Petro issue reactions.
- July 14 – Protests erupt in Biddeford, Scarborough, and Portland; investigations by OIG, FBI, Maine AG, and State Police commence.
Data & Statistics
- ICE has recorded nine fatal shootings since early 2025, including the July 7, 2026 killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston.
- Between the start of Trump’s second term and March 11, 2026, ICE arrested 546 people in Maine; 45 % had criminal backgrounds, down from 69 % in the comparable pre-Trump period.
Why It Matters
The incident intensifies scrutiny of ICE’s use of deadly force, especially given the absence of body-camera recordings and the agency’s recent surge in vehicle stops. It also fuels broader debates over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy and its impact on immigrant communities nationwide.
Official Statements & Responses
- DHS: “Vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon.”
- Sen. King: “Did this young man actually try to run over an ICE agent or was he in danger of running over other people in the street?”
- Sen. Collins: OIG and FBI are conducting a “full and impartial investigation.”
- Gov. Mills: “It underscores the reckless and haphazard manner in which immigration enforcement operations are being conducted in Maine and across the country.”
Criticism & Opposition
- Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the shooting a “targeted killing at the hands of the U.S. government.”
- Local activists, including organizer Todd Chretien, demanded ICE leave the state, while Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau reiterated Maine’s identity as “a city of immigrants.”
- Advocacy groups argue the lack of body-camera footage and the contradictory narratives reveal systemic accountability gaps.
On-the-Ground Reports
Witness Daniel Boucher reported hearing Guerrero say, “I tried to stop,” and hearing an officer reply, “He tried to run me over.” Residents Mary Hayes and Sadie Dilboy described seeing Guerrero’s wife collapse and his three-year-old daughter crying with a pink backpack.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- DHS initially said the officer fired because the vehicle was “weaponized,” then later clarified the driver was not the target of the warrant.
- Video evidence shows the car circling before an SUV blocked its path, but the exact moment shots were fired remains unclear.
- No body-camera or dash-camera footage is available, leaving the precise threat assessment unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “at the hands of the U.S. government.”**” — Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia
- “vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon,” — U.S. Department of Homeland Security statement
- “It underscores the reckless and haphazard manner in which immigration enforcement operations are being conducted in Maine and across the country,” — Janet Mills, Governor of Maine
- “I watched a wife fall to her knees looking at her husband's dead body on the ground,” — Mary Hayes, neighbor
- “I watched a little girl crying with a little pink backpack on because she's never going to see her father again.” — Sadie Dilboy, local business owner
What’s Next
The DHS Office of Inspector General, in coordination with the FBI and Maine’s Attorney General, will continue the investigation. The ICE officer remains on leave pending the outcome. No further policy changes have been announced beyond DHS’s earlier directive to suspend non-urgent vehicle stops.
