FBI Not Probing Maine ICE Shooting as Civil Rights Case, Sources Say

The FBI is not conducting a civil rights investigation into the shooting death of a Colombian man in Maine by a federal immigration officer, sources have informed CBS News. The incident, which occurred on July 13 in Biddeford, Maine, involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the ICE agent discharged his weapon because he perceived a threat to "public safety." This occurred after Guerrero allegedly attempted to flee from officers in his vehicle. Surveillance videos captured the encounter, and one witness reported hearing Guerrero say, "I tried to stop," as he was being removed from the car.

Concerns have been raised regarding the ICE agent's background. Tom Homan, a former Border Patrol chief, acknowledged that the agent may not have been properly vetted. This follows reports by the Associated Press revealing the agent's history of abusive and violent behavior.

Civil rights legal experts noted that such a high-profile shooting, especially with questions surrounding the use of force, would typically prompt an FBI-led criminal civil rights investigation. "I would expect that if things were operating as they traditionally have, that this would be a case where the FBI would be investigating," said Sam Trepel, a former federal civil rights prosecutor. The FBI Boston field office, responsible for criminal investigations in Maine, referred inquiries to the DHS inspector general's office and the Maine attorney general's office. Initially, the FBI responded to the scene to investigate a possible assault on a federal officer, but a Justice Department official clarified that the DHS Office of the Inspector General and the Maine attorney general's office are now leading the investigation.

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I would expect that if things were operating as they traditionally have, that this would be a case where the FBI would be investigating.