ICE agent fatally shoots driver in Maine

An ICE officer fatally shot a man in Biddeford, Maine, less than a week after a similar incident in Houston, Texas. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that the officer opened fire, fearing for public safety, when the man attempted to flee in his vehicle during an attempted stop.

The encounter took place around 7 a.m. local time in Biddeford, a coastal town approximately 24 kilometers south of Portland. While the Biddeford Police Department and the FBI responded to the scene, the DHS statement did not specify if federal law enforcement would lead the investigation.

“

fearing for public safety

Immigration advocates identified the individual as a 26-year-old Colombian man who possessed work authorization and a Social Security number in the US. They described the shooting as "devastating, enraging, and unacceptable." The incident occurred as immigration roundups have intensified nationwide, with ICE arrests in Maine reportedly quadrupling in recent weeks.

One witness described hearing sounds like firecrackers and then seeing a white SUV ram a smaller white car. He then observed an ICE officer pull the driver from the car. Demonstrators later gathered to protest the shooting, marching to the office of US Senator Susan Collins.

“

This is devastating, enraging, and unacceptable