An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a Colombian immigrant in Biddeford, Maine on Monday, sparking protests that drew hundreds of people to downtown streets by midday. The incident was the second deadly shooting involving ICE in a week and at least the ninth since President Trump's immigration crackdown began.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, agents were monitoring a location linked to a deportation order when someone drove away, leading to the shooting. Some Maine officials have said the victim was not the intended target. Federal and state law enforcement officials are investigating.
The victim has been identified as a 26-year-old man. According to NPR, immigrant rights groups and Maine's Independent Sen. Angus King identified him as Joan Sebastian Guerrero. Community members said he was married and had a young child. Immigrant rights groups said he was authorized to work in the United States.
Reporter Ari Snider of Maine Public told NPR's Up First that many residents in Biddeford were shocked by the shooting. The town is small, and the violence was unexpected. By noon, hundreds of protesters had marched through downtown demanding answers.
The shooting came as a separate development involving ICE was still generating national attention. The previous week also saw a deadly ICE shooting elsewhere in the country, making Monday's incident the ninth such death since the administration's immigration enforcement push began.
