Federal immigration agents fatally shot 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday morning. The incident, which occurred at the intersection of Pool and Hill streets, has sparked protests and renewed calls for accountability regarding the agency’s enforcement tactics under the current administration, according to local reports.
Joan Sebastian Guerrero Killed by ICE Agents in Biddeford
Witness Accounts of the Fatal Shooting
Residents near the intersection of Pool and Hill streets reported hearing a chaotic scene unfold around 7:15 a.m. Monday. Daniel Boucher, who lives in an apartment at the intersection, was getting ready for work when he heard what he described as fireworks. Upon looking out his window, he observed an SUV attempting to ram a small white Kia sedan. Moments later, agents wearing vests stopped the car and pulled the driver out. Boucher said the man was “bleeding profusely from the head” and was still talking, saying, “I tried to stop.” Boucher watched as the man’s legs stopped moving, stating, I believe I watched him die.
Another resident, Em Akerley, a 34-year-old barber, was in her second-story apartment when she heard a gunshot followed by a succession of six or seven pops. She looked out her window to see a white vehicle slowly circling the intersection as if the driver had lost control. She observed two plainclothes officers in green vests pushing against the passenger side door before an unmarked white vehicle pulled up and wedged the car to the curb. Akerley noted she heard no commands or yelling prior to the shots. Another witness, 18-year-old Lucas Scott of Wells, was driving through the intersection when he saw an agent with a weapon drawn yelling at a driver who appeared to move the vehicle toward the officer. Scott reported, He fired, I would say, probably four shots at him.
A witness identified as Brinkman, who watched from her kitchen window, saw three people in what appeared to be bulletproof vests screaming at the driver, “Do not get out of the car. Do not get out the car.” Brinkman also heard the victim’s wife screaming “Mi amor, mi amor” from inside an apartment building. Neighbors held the woman back to prevent her from running into the street.
For more on this story, see Federal Immigration Agents Fatally Shoot 26-Year-Old Man in Biddeford, Maine.
Sen. Angus King Consults Secretary Markwayne Mullin Regarding Warrant
Identity of the Deceased and Official Response
While authorities have not officially identified the man, immigrant advocates and neighbors confirmed him as Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old father from Colombia. The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine stated that Guerrero was authorized to work in the U.S.
Sen. Angus King confirmed he spoke with Markwayne Mullin, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. According to King, Mullin stated that Guerrero was not the intended target of the arrest warrant. As of the latest reports, spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have not commented on the incident.
This follows our earlier report, ICE Agents Fatally Shoot Colombian Man During Biddeford Deportation Attempt.
Nirav Shah Targets Sen. Susan Collins Over ICE Appropriations
Political Reaction and Calls for Reform
The shooting has intensified the political debate regarding federal immigration enforcement. Nirav Shah, a Democrat running in a pop-up primary for U.S. Senate, used the incident to criticize the current federal approach, specifically targeting Republican Sen. Susan Collins for her role in appropriating $70 billion for immigration enforcement through the end of President Donald Trump’s second term.
“I would vote ‘no’ on any appropriations for ICE,” Shah said at a news conference. “They have proven themselves unable and incapable of discharging their mission in a manner that does not result in the murder of Americans and other citizens. By definition, they have lost their way.”
Shah stated he would oppose any further funding for the agency until it undergoes reform, suggesting a government shutdown might be necessary to force that change. Shah noted that an estimated 8-10 people have been killed by federal law enforcement during Trump’s second term. “If you take the position that we should not shut down the federal government, then what you are saying is that: those numbers of eight to 10 people, that’s just not enough people, and that is absolutely morally unacceptable,” he said. “And so I refuse to say, well, that’s not enough death or destruction. That is a cowardly position, and I will not embrace it.”
Read also: ICE Agent Kills Colombian Man Not Targeted by Warrant in Maine Shooting.
Ryan Fecteau and Hannah Pingree Address Community Vigil
Community Vigil and Ongoing Investigation
By Monday night, the scene of the shooting had become a site for a community vigil. Messages of grief were strung on a fence, candles were lit, and a makeshift grave was established to remember Guerrero. Attendees expressed skepticism regarding the transparency of the investigation. Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau stated, “No matter what they try to do, we will continue to be a community that was founded by, built by, for immigrants.” Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree added, We want ICE out. We want peace, we want to get our country back and I want everyone to keep fighting until we do. Joshua Hester, who attended the vigil with his three children, said, “And I get emotional about this, because I have three kids who could be in the same situation.”
Find more reporting in our News section.
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