DHS breaks hours of silence on deadly ICE shooting in Maine, saying officer was ‘fearing for public safety’

DHS Responds After Federal Agent Fatally Shoots Colombian Man in Maine

DHS breaks hours of silence on deadly – The Department of Homeland Security has issued a statement following a deadly encounter between an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and a Colombian national in Maine. According to federal officials, the agent discharged his weapon while believing public safety was at risk as the man tried to leave the area. This announcement came approximately twelve hours after the incident occurred on Monday morning in Biddeford.

Victim Identification and Family Details

Neighbors have identified the deceased as Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a twenty-six-year-old who was traveling to his job when the confrontation began. Nelson Elias, a resident who has known Guerrero since 2024, stepped outside his home to discover the aftermath of what he described as a loud disturbance involving law enforcement personnel.

“Around 7 a.m. I heard screams, they woke me up. I heard them (officers) telling him to park the car. It was really loud. Then all of a sudden they shot like 6 times, and it was just something hard to hear,” Elias recalled.

Elias noted that he first checked on his own family members before heading outdoors. There, he found Guerrero lying motionless on the pavement while his partner wept beside him. Their three-year-old daughter was also present at the scene.

“He was a good person. He was quiet and reserved. He worked hard to provide for his wife and a 3-year-old daughter,” Elias said. “We just ask for justice for his family. It was hard to see his wife sitting there just crying and screaming.”

Guerrero earned his living as a delivery driver, according to Elias. Community members have since placed flowers and candles near the location where the shooting took place. One memorial sign declares that immigrants strengthen Biddeford.

Conflicting Information About Warrant Status

Official statements regarding whether Guerrero was the intended subject of a warrant have varied. Sen. Angus King’s office later clarified that the victim was not the target of the warrant, following another conversation with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. However, King had previously stated based on an earlier discussion with Mullin that Guerrero was indeed the warrant’s subject.

The Maine Attorney General’s Office has declined to officially confirm Guerrero’s identity until positive identification is complete and family members have been notified. CNN has learned from the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition that the victim possessed work authorization and a social security number. Federal authorities have not yet verified these details.

Broader Context and Community Reaction

This shooting marks the second fatal encounter involving federal immigration agents in the United States within seven days. Days earlier, an agent killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican immigrant, during a traffic stop in Texas. The two incidents, separated by nearly two thousand miles, have sparked renewed calls for accountability among ICE personnel.

These events have resonated in Minneapolis, where residents are remembering the January shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration enforcement officers. Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain expressed grief for those affected by the tragedy.

“I am mourning for the individuals impacted, for the family that lost a father, lost a partner, and a community member as well,” LaFountain told CNN affiliate WGME.

Local resident Mary Hayes witnessed the immediate aftermath of the shooting. She described seeing a woman collapse to her knees beside her husband’s body while holding a cardboard sign reading “No ICE Stop ICE.” Hayes also observed the young daughter crying with her pink backpack, realizing she would not see her father again.

Surveillance video acquired by The Associated Press appears to capture the vehicle carrying the Colombian man moments before he was fatally shot by ICE agents. CNN’s Mark Morales, Elise Hammond, and Sarah Boxer contributed to this report.