ICE Officers Fatally Shoot Colombian National During Biddeford Arrest Attempt

ICE Officers Shoot Colombian National During Biddeford Arrest

The shooting took place around 7 a.m. at the intersection of Pool Street and Hill Street. According to a statement provided by the Department of Homeland Security, ICE personnel were “conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien” for what is described as a final order of removal. Officials reported that an individual left the home in a vehicle and ICE officers tried to stop the vehicle as the driver kept going. The federal agency stated that the officer feared for public safety when he shot at the vehicle, hitting and killing the driver. Sen. Angus King said he was told by Homeland Security that the person was shot by an ICE agent and that they had “weaponized the vehicle.”

Details of the Incident and Victim Identity

Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition Identifies Victim as Husband and Father

While federal authorities have not officially released the name of the deceased, the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition has identified him as a 26-year-old man from Colombia. A family friend told Maine’s Total Coverage that the man leaves behind a wife, a 3-year-old child, and a sister. The Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition stated that the man was authorized to work in the United States and had been issued a Social Security number. Mufalo Chitam, the executive director of the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition, told CNN that the man was on his way to work.

Eyewitness accounts from the scene provide a harrowing look at the morning’s events. Valerie Brinkman, a neighbor who lives in the same building as the driver, reported hearing several gunshots. She went to her window and saw three armed individuals surrounding a white car, screaming at the driver, “Do not get out of the car!” Brinkman described seeing the man’s wife witness the event, noting that the woman left her child in the care of people in the building so she could try and get to her love. Video obtained by ABC News showed first responders giving medical aid to a person on their back in the street next to a white sedan, with people wearing U.S. Border Patrol vests standing nearby.

Federal and State Investigation Protocols

Attorney General and FBI Launch Multi-Jurisdictional Investigation

The investigation into the use of lethal force is currently multi-jurisdictional. The Maine Attorney General’s Office is reviewing the incident, noting that “initial statements indicate an Enforcement Removal Operations Officer was conducting an enforcement operation related to a final order of removal when the subject attempted to flee in a vehicle in the direction of the officer and was fatally shot.” Maine Governor Janet Mills addressed the situation, stating, “I know that situations like these are alarming and frightening,” and confirmed that Maine State Police are working cooperatively with the Attorney General’s Office, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, and federal officials to determine the facts.

According to Sen. Susan Collins’ office, Secretary Markwayne Mullin told her that the Boston office of the DHS Inspector General had taken over the investigation in cooperation with the FBI. The Embassy of Colombia has also issued a statement confirming they are in contact with U.S. authorities to “formally confirm the individual’s identity and nationality and to determine the appropriate procedures in accordance with applicable legal and consular protocols.”

Conflicting Information Regarding the Target

DHS Secretary Informs Sen. Angus King Victim Was Not the Warrant Target

Public statements regarding the nature of the operation have evolved. Initially, Sen. Angus King was informed by the Department of Homeland Security that the person killed was a man in his 20’s who had been given an order to leave the country. However, by 4:45 p.m. Monday, King’s office reported that the senator had spoken with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and was told that the victim was not the target of their warrant on Monday. It remains unclear if the man shot was connected to a broader investigation. ICE has not clarified if the man who died was the target of their operation.

The Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine have called for a prompt and transparent inquiry. In a statement, Presente! Maine said, “To say we are heartbroken does not convey the depth of the exhaustion, terror, or grief we are feeling. We will not let this death be reduced to a footnote in this administration’s enforcement statistics. There is no freedom until everyone is free.” Authorities have not confirmed if the deceased was Jhonathan Ramires, to whom the vehicle was registered.

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