Was the ICE officer justified in fatally shooting Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero?
An ICE officer fatally shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during a Biddeford vehicle stop. Officials said his car moved toward the officer; the available public footage does not resolve the decisive moment.
BackgroundWhen can federal immigration agents use deadly force?
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
On July 13, 2026, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during an attempted vehicle stop at Pool and Hill streets in Biddeford, Maine. ICE said Guerrero's vehicle attempted to flee and that the officer fired because he feared for public safety; Maine's initial account said the vehicle moved in the officer's direction. A nearby resident said he heard Guerrero say he had tried to stop and heard the officer say Guerrero tried to hit him. Security cameras recorded gunfire and portions of the aftermath but do not continuously show the vehicle's path at the moment of firing, and the agents reportedly lacked activated body cameras. The Associated Press and relatives identified the shooter as David Brouillette, though DHS has not confirmed his identity. In late September 2026, the Maine attorney general's office declined to comment on its investigation and had announced no finding. The dispute is whether Guerrero's vehicle posed an imminent threat when the officer fired.
Background: When can federal immigration agents use deadly force?
Read the full background
The Maine attorney general's initial statement (opens in a new tab) said an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer was conducting an operation connected to a final removal order when Guerrero attempted to flee in a vehicle "in the direction of the officer" and was fatally shot. ABC News (opens in a new tab) reported ICE's broader formulation that the vehicle attempted to flee and that the officer fired because he feared for public safety. The same report quoted Sen. Angus King saying Guerrero was not the operation's target and said the agents did not have activated body cameras.
A Portland Press Herald compilation of nearby security footage (opens in a new tab) captures gunshots and portions of the approach and aftermath. Its limited angles and motion-triggered gaps do not continuously show the car's movement at the instant the officer fired. The footage therefore supplies important timing and scene context without resolving whether the officer faced an imminent threat.
Nearby resident Daniel Boucher told Maine Public (opens in a new tab) that after hearing the shots he heard Guerrero say, "I tried to stop," and heard the officer say Guerrero had tried to hit him. Boucher did not witness the firing itself.
The Associated Press (opens in a new tab) and Brouillette's relatives identified David Brouillette as the officer. Relatives said he described the shooting as justified because Guerrero tried to run him over. DHS has not released the officer's name, and an ICE spokesperson asked about Brouillette's role in the shooting would not confirm or deny it to the AP. We attribute the identification to the AP and the relatives, not to an official source.
The immigration-enforcement operation's intended target and Guerrero's immigration status provide context but do not decide the force question. The central issue is the vehicle's trajectory, speed, proximity and the officer's options when shots were fired. The attorney general's August 17 update (opens in a new tab) said the state investigation was active. Benjamin Gideon, an attorney for Guerrero's family, told the Portland Press Herald (opens in a new tab) that Guerrero's partner received several non-evidentiary items from the attorney general's office at an informational meeting on August 27. A spokesperson for the office declined to comment on the investigation to the Press Herald on September 22, and the Boston Globe (opens in a new tab) reported on September 23 that the office said it could not comment on pending investigations. No final finding had been announced.
At a September 22 congressional forum on deaths in immigration enforcement, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who co-hosted it, said in his opening remarks (opens in a new tab) that after fatal shootings by immigration agents, state and local authorities had been "stymied and stopped" in their efforts to investigate and that ICE had "withheld and concealed evidence." The examples he gave of evidence withheld from state authorities came from Minnesota and Texas. Asked whether the family had received an adequate response, Sean P. Murphy, another attorney for the family, told him (opens in a new tab) that DHS had not identified the shooter or the agents who witnessed the shooting and had given the family no video or documents. Blumenthal called that stonewalling.
Timeline
13 timeline entries on this page. Dates: July 13, 2026 to October 6, 2026
July 2026
ICE officer fatally shoots Guerrero during attempted vehicle stop
Incident
An ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer fatally shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero near Pool and Hill streets in Biddeford. Officials said Guerrero attempted to flee in a vehicle and moved in the officer's direction; the exact vehicle path at the moment of firing remained disputed.
[01]Maine Office of the Attorney General
Source excerpt
The subject attempted to flee in a vehicle in the direction of the officer and was fatally shot.
Initial statement from the Maine attorney general based on preliminary information. It is not a final investigative finding, and the office later said its investigation remained active.
Federal law-enforcement fatal use of deadly force in Biddeford, Maine · Maine Office of the Attorney GeneralInitial account of the operation, vehicle movement, shooting and investigation[02]ICE agent involved in fatal shooting in Maine, authorities say
Source excerpt
The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and fearing for public safety an officer discharged his weapon.
Reports ICE's stated justification, that Guerrero was not the operation's target, the absence of activated body-camera footage, witness Daniel Boucher's account and nearby Ring-camera evidence. The article does not itself resolve the vehicle's path when shots were fired.
ICE agent involved in fatal shooting in Maine, authorities sayICE statement; Sen. Angus King's statement; body-camera status; witness and Ring-camera reporting[03]Videos show moments before and after ICE agents shot man in Biddeford
Source excerpt
7:17 a.m.: Gunshots are heard.
Collection of contributed security-camera footage from several nearby locations. The recordings capture gunfire and portions of the approach and aftermath, but motion-triggered gaps and limited angles do not continuously show the decisive moment.
Videos show moments before and after ICE agents shot man in BiddefordContributed security-camera angles, approximately 7:17–7:20 a.m.Reporting and security-camera footage document a partial sequence
Source release
ABC News reported ICE's public-safety justification, the lack of activated body-camera footage and a witness account. Nearby security cameras captured gunshots and portions of the approach and aftermath but not a continuous view of the decisive moment.
[02]ICE agent involved in fatal shooting in Maine, authorities say
Source excerpt
The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and fearing for public safety an officer discharged his weapon.
Reports ICE's stated justification, that Guerrero was not the operation's target, the absence of activated body-camera footage, witness Daniel Boucher's account and nearby Ring-camera evidence. The article does not itself resolve the vehicle's path when shots were fired.
ICE agent involved in fatal shooting in Maine, authorities sayICE statement; Sen. Angus King's statement; body-camera status; witness and Ring-camera reporting[03]Videos show moments before and after ICE agents shot man in Biddeford
Source excerpt
7:17 a.m.: Gunshots are heard.
Collection of contributed security-camera footage from several nearby locations. The recordings capture gunfire and portions of the approach and aftermath, but motion-triggered gaps and limited angles do not continuously show the decisive moment.
Videos show moments before and after ICE agents shot man in BiddefordContributed security-camera angles, approximately 7:17–7:20 a.m.Witness describes statements heard after the shooting
Claim
Daniel Boucher told Maine Public that he heard Guerrero say he had tried to stop and heard the officer say Guerrero had tried to hit him. Boucher said he did not see the officer fire.
[04]Witness recalls moments around killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero
Source excerpt
I tried to stop.
Interview with nearby resident Daniel Boucher. He described hearing gunshots and statements by Guerrero and the officer afterward; he did not witness the moment the officer fired.
Witness recalls moments around killing of Johan Sebastián Durán GuerreroDaniel Boucher interview and account of what he heard after the shotsVanguardia calls for accountability after Duran Guerrero killing
Reaction
Vanguardia urges Colombian authorities to seek justice for Johan Duran Guerrero and coordinate action with civil society. Its editorial calls for stronger protection of Colombians living abroad.
[05]Vanguardia editorial calls for justice after Johan Duran Guerrero killing
Vanguardia calls for Colombian authorities to demand accountability and protect migrants abroad.
Vanguardia editorial calls for justice after Johan Duran Guerrero killingJuly 16 editorial; concluding paragraphs beginning "El caso de Johan" and "Es comprensible la indignacion".Associated Press identifies Brouillette and reports his self-defense account
Source release
The Associated Press and Brouillette's relatives identified David Brouillette as the officer. Relatives said he described the shooting as justified because Guerrero tried to run him over; DHS declined to confirm the officer's identity.
[06]ICE officer who killed a man in Maine never should have had a badge and gun, relatives say
Source excerpt
He said it was a justified shooting. The guy was trying to run him over with a car.
The Associated Press and Brouillette's relatives identify him as the officer and attribute a self-defense explanation to him. DHS declined to confirm his identity. The relatives' account is indirect and is not a formal DHS finding.
ICE officer who killed a man in Maine never should have had a badge and gun, relatives sayIdentification of David Brouillette and relatives' account of his self-defense explanation
August 2026
Maine attorney general says investigation remains active
Source release
Attorney General Aaron Frey said his office was still collecting, processing and analyzing evidence and would eventually submit its file to the Maine Deadly Force Review Panel.
[07]Maine Office of the Attorney General
Source excerpt
continues to actively investigate the shooting death
Status update from the Maine attorney general confirming that the investigation remained active and describing the eventual Deadly Force Review Panel process. It announces no final conclusion.
Statement from Attorney General Aaron M. Frey prompted by shadow hearing on use of force · Maine Office of the Attorney GeneralStatement on the status and process of the investigation
September 2026
Green condemns the Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero killing
Reaction
Al Green offered H.Res. 1486, naming Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero among victims of killings he described as unjustified.
[08]Al Green offers H. Res. 1486 on the House floor (Congressional Record, September 15, 2026)
Green's allegations about the Duran Guerrero and Salgado Araujo killings.
Al Green offers H. Res. 1486 on the House floor (Congressional Record, September 15, 2026)PDF page 29, printed H5653, column 1; the first occurrence of the sentence follows the Salgado Araujo paragraphs and the second follows the Duran Guerrero paragraph.Family attorney testifies before House Democratic forum in Washington
Claim
At a September 22 House Democratic forum, Sean P. Murphy, who represented Durán Guerrero's family, called for an independent investigation and prosecution of the ICE officer. He also made claims about the investigation and an empty child car seat; the forum recorded his remarks, which do not resolve the underlying facts of the shooting.
[09]Portland Press Herald
Source excerpt
The only justification given for Johan's death was that it was in the interest of public safety. You know what actually keeps the public safe? Not shooting innocent and law-abiding fathers whose only dream is to build a better life for his family.
Reports attorney Sean Murphy's September 22, 2026 congressional testimony, including his statement that the Maine attorney general's office is the first and only agency confirmed to be investigating the shooting, his account that the federal government made no visible effort to preserve digital evidence or interview witnesses, his explicit call for prosecution of the ICE officer, and the first public disclosure that a bullet pierced the empty car seat belonging to Duran Guerrero's 3-year-old daughter.
Attorney for family of Maine man shot by ICE speaks to Congress · Portland Press HeraldCoverage of Sean Murphy's September 22, 2026 testimony before a House Democratic forum in Washington, D.C.[10]The Maine Wire
Source excerpt
Murphy later told lawmakers that he wanted the ICE officer responsible for Duran Guerrero's death prosecuted.
Corroborates that attorney Sean Murphy explicitly told lawmakers he wants the ICE officer prosecuted, and separately reports the bullet that pierced the family's daughter's empty car seat.
Family attorney demands prosecution of ICE agent in Biddeford shooting as Maine AG investigation remains open · The Maine WireCoverage of Sean Murphy's explicit call for prosecution and the pierced car-seat disclosure at the September 22, 2026 congressional forum[11]Bangor Daily News
Source excerpt
No immigrant should be murdered in this way. On behalf of my husband's family, my daughter and myself we want justice.
Reports that attorney Sean P. Murphy read a written statement from Duran Guerrero's partner, Karolina Rojas Alvarez, into the congressional record at the September 22, 2026 forum.
Biddeford, Maine ICE shooting: Johan Guerrero congressional testimony · Bangor Daily NewsReport that attorney Sean Murphy read a statement from Karolina Rojas Alvarez into the congressional record
October 2026
Representatives announce body-camera oversight letter citing Duran Guerrero shooting
Source release
Chellie Pingree, Sylvia Garcia and Greg Casar announced a joint letter demanding DHS and ICE answers on body-camera deployment, training and missing footage. It cites the Duran Guerrero shooting and requests written answers by October 14. The linked letter is dated September 29; October 1 is the announcement date.
[12]Chellie Pingree
Pingree's office announces a joint oversight letter concerning the shootings of Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Wilber Rafael Garces Perez. The linked letter is dated September 29; the release is dated October 1 and supplies no clock time. The representatives' allegations and assessments are attributed statements.
Pingree, Garcia and Casar demand body-camera accountability after three ICE shootings · Chellie PingreeOctober 1, 2026 release; quoted statements by Pingree, Garcia and Casar; final paragraph setting October 14 response deadline.[13]Chellie Pingree
The letter requests camera, training and footage information from DHS and ICE. It is dated September 29, 2026 and was linked in an October 1 release. The document does not establish its transmission time or resolve the disputed shootings.
Garcia, Casar and Pingree letter requesting answers on ICE body cameras · Chellie PingreeThree-page letter; page 1 date and discussion of the three shootings; page 2 questions 1-7 and October 14 deadline; page 3 signatures.ICE responds to WGME's question about vehicle-stop training in the Biddeford shooting
Reaction
WGME asked DHS whether the officers involved in Duran Guerrero's death had completed vehicle-stop training courses. The station reported that DHS did not answer the question specifically. An ICE spokesperson said a memo made no changes to vehicle-stop practices and that all officers had always received training.
[14]WGME reports ICE's response to questions about training in the Biddeford shooting
WGME says it asked DHS whether the officers involved in Duran Guerrero's death had completed vehicle-stop training courses. It reports that DHS did not answer that question specifically. An ICE spokesperson instead disputed reports that a memo changed vehicle-stop policy and said all officers had always received training. The response does not identify the training completed by the officers in this shooting.
WGME reports ICE's response to questions about training in the Biddeford shootingFinal two paragraphs: CBS13's question about courses completed by the Biddeford shooting officers and the ICE spokesperson's written response; published October 2, 6:49 AM, updated 7:02 AM.Senators cite Duran Guerrero's killing in ICE oversight letter
Reaction
Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal and Alex Padilla cited Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero's killing in a letter demanding ICE vetting and training changes. They urged DHS to suspend field duties for officers hired during the 2025 surge until checks and training were complete. The letter does not establish the shooter's hiring or training history.
[15]Booker, Blumenthal, Padilla Urge Secretary Mullin to Immediately Remove ICE Officers Hired Without Background Checks
Booker's office describes a letter from Senators Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal and Alex Padilla to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The letter cites both killings among other incidents and calls for renewed vetting and training of officers hired during the 2025 surge. The release gives a date but no time.
Booker, Blumenthal, Padilla Urge Secretary Mullin to Immediately Remove ICE Officers Hired Without Background ChecksOctober 5 release: paragraphs naming Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, followed by demands to suspend field duties pending background checks and training.Maine Public publishes housemate and attorney accounts of the Guerrero shooting
Source release
Maine Public published an interview with former housemate Jhonathan Ramirez, who said he heard gunfire and saw officers remove Guerrero but did not witness the shooting itself. Ramirez disputed speculation that he was the intended target. His attorney Kerry Doyle disputed the account that officers had a specific target, citing her experience with other Maine cases.
[16]Former housemate of Biddeford ICE shooting victim tries to rebuild, while struggling with loss
Maine Public interviews Jhonathan Ramirez, Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero's former housemate, and Ramirez's attorney Kerry Doyle. Ramirez describes hearing gunfire and seeing officers remove Guerrero, but says he did not see the shooting itself. Doyle disputes the account that officers had a specific target. Their accounts do not establish an investigative finding.
Former housemate of Biddeford ICE shooting victim tries to rebuild, while struggling with lossOctober 5 article: Ramirez's account beginning with his recollection of being at home; subsequent paragraphs on the car registration, intended target and Kerry Doyle's response.Biddeford council advances limits on city cooperation with ICE
Reaction
Biddeford's nine city councilors supported the first reading of an ordinance limiting city cooperation with ICE, according to the Portland Press Herald and Biddeford Buzz. Local reporting connects the proposal to the killing of Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero. A second reading and final vote were scheduled for October 20. The first vote did not enact the ordinance.
[17]Portland Press Herald
Local reporting describes unanimous support at first reading for limits on city cooperation with ICE after Duran Guerrero's killing. The ordinance awaited a second reading; this report does not establish final enactment.
Biddeford City Council signals support for ordinance to block city cooperation with ICE · Portland Press HeraldOpening account of the October 6 first-reading vote; councilor responses; paragraph setting the final vote for October 20.[18]Biddeford City Council passes first reading of proposed ICE ordinance
Biddeford Buzz reports directly on the council's unanimous first-reading vote and relates the proposal to Duran Guerrero's death. The page's relative posting age does not establish a precise publication time.
Biddeford City Council passes first reading of proposed ICE ordinanceParagraph dated October 6, 2026 and paragraph conditioning effect on a second-reading approval.
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What was said
Attributed statement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ICE said Guerrero's vehicle attempted to flee the stop and that the officer fired because he feared for public safety.
Sources (1)
- ICE agent involved in fatal shooting in Maine, authorities sayICE statement; Sen. Angus King's statement; body-camera status; witness and Ring-camera reporting
Attributed statement
Maine Office of the Attorney General
The Maine Office of the Attorney General said initial statements indicated that Guerrero attempted to flee in a vehicle in the direction of the officer before he was fatally shot.
Sources (1)
- Federal law-enforcement fatal use of deadly force in Biddeford, Maine · Maine Office of the Attorney GeneralInitial account of the operation, vehicle movement, shooting and investigation
Attributed statement
Daniel Boucher said he heard Guerrero say that he had tried to stop after the shooting and heard the officer say Guerrero had tried to hit him.
Sources (2)
- Witness recalls moments around killing of Johan Sebastián Durán GuerreroDaniel Boucher interview and account of what he heard after the shots
- ICE agent involved in fatal shooting in Maine, authorities sayICE statement; Sen. Angus King's statement; body-camera status; witness and Ring-camera reporting
Attributed statement
According to relatives interviewed by the Associated Press, David Brouillette said the shooting was justified because Guerrero tried to run him over.
Sources (1)
- ICE officer who killed a man in Maine never should have had a badge and gun, relatives sayIdentification of David Brouillette and relatives' account of his self-defense explanation
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 matching responses. Newest first.
David BrouilletteICE officer identified by the Associated Press as the shooterDirectly involved Before this statement
Brouillette spoke separately with his ex-wife and daughter after the shooting.
"It was a justified shooting. The guy was trying to run him over with a car."
Defended or excusedCase context: Was the ICE officer justified in fatally shooting Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero?
Full statement and sources
Brouillette told relatives that he acted in self-defense because Guerrero tried to run him over.
After the statement
Both relatives told the Associated Press that he described the shooting as justified; DHS had not publicly confirmed his identity.
ICE officer who killed a man in Maine never should have had a badge and gun, relatives sayIdentification of David Brouillette and relatives' account of his self-defense explanationWhy this label?
This directly states that the shooting was justified by an asserted vehicular threat.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementFederal immigration-enforcement agencyDirectly involvedBefore this statement
ICE agents attempted to stop the vehicle during an enforcement operation in Biddeford.
"The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and fearing for public safety an officer discharged his weapon."
Defended or excusedCase context: Was the ICE officer justified in fatally shooting Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero?
Full statement and sources
ICE said the officer fired because Guerrero tried to flee and the officer feared for public safety.
After the statement
The agency’s preliminary account did not identify the officer or describe the vehicle’s precise trajectory at the instant shots were fired.
ICE agent involved in fatal shooting in Maine, authorities sayICE statement; Sen. Angus King's statement; body-camera status; witness and Ring-camera reportingWhy this label?
The agency offers fear for public safety as the justification for the fatal shooting.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(33)
Official statement
Federal law-enforcement fatal use of deadly force in Biddeford, Maine
Relevant passage: Initial account of the operation, vehicle movement, shooting and investigation
Excerpt
"The subject attempted to flee in a vehicle in the direction of the officer and was fatally shot."
About this source
Initial statement from the Maine attorney general based on preliminary information. It is not a final investigative finding, and the office later said its investigation remained active.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Biddeford City Council passes first reading of proposed ICE ordinance
Relevant passage: Paragraph dated October 6, 2026 and paragraph conditioning effect on a second-reading approval.
About this source
Biddeford Buzz reports directly on the council's unanimous first-reading vote and relates the proposal to Duran Guerrero's death. The page's relative posting age does not establish a precise publication time.
- Accessed
Reporting
Biddeford City Council signals support for ordinance to block city cooperation with ICE
Relevant passage: Opening account of the October 6 first-reading vote; councilor responses; paragraph setting the final vote for October 20.
About this source
Local reporting describes unanimous support at first reading for limits on city cooperation with ICE after Duran Guerrero's killing. The ordinance awaited a second reading; this report does not establish final enactment.
- Author
- Sydney Richelieu
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
Vanguardia editorial calls for justice after Johan Duran Guerrero killing
Relevant passage: July 16 editorial; concluding paragraphs beginning "El caso de Johan" and "Es comprensible la indignacion".
About this source
Vanguardia calls for Colombian authorities to demand accountability and protect migrants abroad.
- Author
- Vanguardia Editorial Board
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Brady Responds to Fatal ICE Shootings in Texas, Maine
Relevant passage: Statement attributed to President Kris Brown, paragraphs 1 and 3-4
About this source
Brady published President Kris Brown's criticism of the fatal shootings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero.
- Author
- Kris Brown
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Letter from Sens. Booker, Blumenthal and Padilla to DHS Secretary Mullin on ICE hiring, October 5, 2026
Relevant passage: Pages 2-3 (Biddeford and Houston paragraphs and the sentence beginning These killings); signatures on page 4
Excerpt
"These killings, combined with the whistleblower's account of corners cut on both vetting and training, make clear that officers hired during the surge did not receive adequate instruction in de-escalation, use-of-force standards, and vehicle-stop protocols"
About this source
The signed four-page letter that Booker's release (source 5521) announces. It describes the July 13 Biddeford and July 7 Houston killings and asks DHS to suspend field enforcement duties for 2025 surge hires until background checks and training are complete, with a written reply by October 13.
- Author
- Sens. Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal and Alex Padilla
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Al Green offers H. Res. 1486 on the House floor (Congressional Record, September 15, 2026)
Relevant passage: PDF page 29, printed H5653, column 1; the first occurrence of the sentence follows the Salgado Araujo paragraphs and the second follows the Duran Guerrero paragraph.
About this source
Green's allegations about the Duran Guerrero and Salgado Araujo killings.
- Author
- Al Green
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Garcia, Casar and Pingree letter requesting answers on ICE body cameras
Relevant passage: Three-page letter; page 1 date and discussion of the three shootings; page 2 questions 1-7 and October 14 deadline; page 3 signatures.
About this source
The letter requests camera, training and footage information from DHS and ICE. It is dated September 29, 2026 and was linked in an October 1 release. The document does not establish its transmission time or resolve the disputed shootings.
- Author
- Sylvia R. Garcia, Greg Casar and Chellie Pingree
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Pingree, Garcia and Casar demand body-camera accountability after three ICE shootings
Relevant passage: October 1, 2026 release; quoted statements by Pingree, Garcia and Casar; final paragraph setting October 14 response deadline.
About this source
Pingree's office announces a joint oversight letter concerning the shootings of Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Wilber Rafael Garces Perez. The linked letter is dated September 29; the release is dated October 1 and supplies no clock time. The representatives' allegations and assessments are attributed statements.
- Author
- Office of U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Booker, Blumenthal, Padilla Urge Secretary Mullin to Immediately Remove ICE Officers Hired Without Background Checks
Relevant passage: October 5 release: paragraphs naming Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, followed by demands to suspend field duties pending background checks and training.
About this source
Booker's office describes a letter from Senators Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal and Alex Padilla to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The letter cites both killings among other incidents and calls for renewed vetting and training of officers hired during the 2025 surge. The release gives a date but no time.
- Author
- Office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
WGME reports ICE's response to questions about training in the Biddeford shooting
Relevant passage: Final two paragraphs: CBS13's question about courses completed by the Biddeford shooting officers and the ICE spokesperson's written response; published October 2, 6:49 AM, updated 7:02 AM.
About this source
WGME says it asked DHS whether the officers involved in Duran Guerrero's death had completed vehicle-stop training courses. It reports that DHS did not answer that question specifically. An ICE spokesperson instead disputed reports that a memo changed vehicle-stop policy and said all officers had always received training. The response does not identify the training completed by the officers in this shooting.
- Author
- WGME Staff
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
Former housemate of Biddeford ICE shooting victim tries to rebuild, while struggling with loss
Relevant passage: October 5 article: Ramirez's account beginning with his recollection of being at home; subsequent paragraphs on the car registration, intended target and Kerry Doyle's response.
About this source
Maine Public interviews Jhonathan Ramirez, Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero's former housemate, and Ramirez's attorney Kerry Doyle. Ramirez describes hearing gunfire and seeing officers remove Guerrero, but says he did not see the shooting itself. Doyle disputes the account that officers had a specific target. Their accounts do not establish an investigative finding.
- Author
- Ari Snider, Maine Public
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
'Deeply wrong and shameful': Two months after Maine ICE shooting, status of investigations remains unclear
Relevant passage: Report on the September 22, 2026 congressional forum and the status of the investigations into the Biddeford shooting
Excerpt
""The failure to investigate is obvious, and deeply wrong and shameful for the federal government," said Blumenthal"
About this source
Boston Globe report on the September 22, 2026 forum co-hosted by Sen. Richard Blumenthal and on the investigations into Guerrero's death. It reports that a spokesperson for the Maine attorney general's office said the office could not comment on pending investigations.
- Author
- Lea Skene
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Our Values at Stake (Part V): Deaths, Deception, and a Failure of Accountability at DHS (House Oversight Democrats video)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal's opening remarks and his exchange with family attorney Sean P. Murphy, at the Sept. 22, 2026 forum he held with Rep. Robert Garcia.
Two excerpts joined by one-second black gaps: 22:30 to 23:22 and 1:26:03 to 1:27:07 of the committee Democrats' video of the forum. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Democrats. Public domain (U.S. government work) (opens in a new tab)
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: Blumenthal's opening remarks, about 22:33 to 23:20; his exchange with family attorney Sean P. Murphy, about 1:26:05 to 1:27:05)
Excerpt
"State and local authorities have been stymied and stopped in their effort to investigate. ICE has withheld and concealed evidence. The failure to investigate is obvious and deeply wrong and shameful for the federal government. On July 7, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a father and husband, was shot and killed by ICE agents while on his way to work in Houston. And just five days later, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero was murdered in Maine, leaving behind a wife and three-year-old daughter."
About this source
House Oversight Democrats' full recording (2:43:40) of the September 22, 2026 public forum in Washington on deaths in immigration enforcement, co-hosted by Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Robert Garcia. The quoted wording is our transcription of the audio, checked in independent passes.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Mayor LaFountain Update on the Shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero and Ongoing Developments
Relevant passage: Section headed "August 17 Statement from the Congressional Field Hearing", paragraphs beginning "Federal agents left the scene" and "So, I ask Congress for three things"
Excerpt
"A federal force came into my city, exercised one of the most extraordinary powers the government possesses, the use of deadly force, and left the consequences for Johan's family and our small community to carry."
About this source
The City of Biddeford's news page collecting Mayor LaFountain's statements on the shooting from July 13, 2026 onward, including his August 17 remarks to the congressional field hearing.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Senator Collins’ Latest Statement on Biddeford Shooting
Relevant passage: Statement text on the page, second and third paragraphs of the quoted statement
Excerpt
"An impartial investigation into the shooting in Biddeford needs to proceed, as the details surrounding this tragedy are important. It is extremely unfortunate that the agent involved did not have a body-worn camera."
About this source
Official statement from Sen. Susan Collins the day after the July 13, 2026 shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, on her call for an impartial investigation and on ICE.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Pingree and Homeland Security Democrats host Biddeford hearing on ICE's deadly use of force
Relevant passage: Statements by Bennie Thompson, Katherine Clark, and Troy Carter
Excerpt
"ICE cannot continue using reckless and deadly force without consequence."
About this source
Official congressional release summarizing the August 17 Biddeford hearing and quoting participants. The statements express the speakers' positions; they do not resolve the state investigation or the disputed vehicle movement.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Biddeford, Maine ICE shooting: Johan Guerrero congressional testimony
Relevant passage: Report that attorney Sean Murphy read a statement from Karolina Rojas Alvarez into the congressional record
Excerpt
"No immigrant should be murdered in this way. On behalf of my husband's family, my daughter and myself we want justice."
About this source
Reports that attorney Sean P. Murphy read a written statement from Duran Guerrero's partner, Karolina Rojas Alvarez, into the congressional record at the September 22, 2026 forum.
- Author
- Bangor Daily News staff
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Family attorney demands prosecution of ICE agent in Biddeford shooting as Maine AG investigation remains open
Relevant passage: Coverage of Sean Murphy's explicit call for prosecution and the pierced car-seat disclosure at the September 22, 2026 congressional forum
Excerpt
"Murphy later told lawmakers that he wanted the ICE officer responsible for Duran Guerrero's death prosecuted."
About this source
Corroborates that attorney Sean Murphy explicitly told lawmakers he wants the ICE officer prosecuted, and separately reports the bullet that pierced the family's daughter's empty car seat.
- Author
- The Maine Wire staff
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Attorney for family of Maine man shot by ICE speaks to Congress
Relevant passage: Coverage of Sean Murphy's September 22, 2026 testimony before a House Democratic forum in Washington, D.C.
Excerpt
"The only justification given for Johan's death was that it was in the interest of public safety. You know what actually keeps the public safe? Not shooting innocent and law-abiding fathers whose only dream is to build a better life for his family."
About this source
Reports attorney Sean Murphy's September 22, 2026 congressional testimony, including his statement that the Maine attorney general's office is the first and only agency confirmed to be investigating the shooting, his account that the federal government made no visible effort to preserve digital evidence or interview witnesses, his explicit call for prosecution of the ICE officer, and the first public disclosure that a bullet pierced the empty car seat belonging to Duran Guerrero's 3-year-old daughter.
- Author
- Portland Press Herald staff
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Family’s attorney calls on Vance to correct the record on deadly Biddeford ICE shooting
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting JD Vance and Benjamin Gideon
Excerpt
"Driving off is not a legal basis or justified basis for the use of lethal force."
About this source
WGME report quoting Vice President JD Vance’s defense of the government’s actions and family attorney Benjamin Gideon’s direct response on the use of lethal force.
- Author
- Max Williams
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Pingree Demands Answers from DHS After Fatal ICE Shooting in Biddeford
Relevant passage: Press release and full letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin
Excerpt
"This needless death raises the question of whether DHS has learned anything from prior tragedies."
About this source
Official congressional release and letter challenging DHS’s justification, agent vetting, training, body-camera use and transparency after the shooting.
- Author
- Office of U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
In Wake of Deadly Biddeford Shooting, Governor Mills Calls on Congress to Reform ICE
Relevant passage: Governor’s letter and quoted statement
Excerpt
"Before more gunshots shatter another windshield, steal another person’s life and fracture the freedom of all who seek peace, this has to end."
About this source
Official statement and letter from Governor Janet Mills responding to Durán Guerrero’s death and calling for ICE to be fundamentally reformed or abolished.
- Author
- Office of Governor Janet T. Mills
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Maine Senate candidates call ICE shooting ‘appalling’ during debate
Relevant passage: Shenna Bellows’s remarks during the July 16 debate
Excerpt
"“Nobody deserves to get shot in the streets when their 3-year-old daughter is still in her pajamas.”"
About this source
The report summarizes Maine U.S. Senate candidates’ responses during a debate following the shooting.
- Author
- Taiyler S. Mitchell
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Justice for Joan Sebastian Duran Guerrero
Relevant passage: Opening paragraphs and demands
Excerpt
"“The International Women's Alliance is outraged at the continued violence being enacted on migrants across the world.”"
About this source
The alliance’s statement describes Durán Guerrero’s death as part of a wider pattern of violence against migrants.
- Author
- International Women’s Alliance
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Armed ICE supporter confronts protester outside ICE facility in Maine
Relevant passage: Todd Chretien soundbite at 00:00 in the published shot list
Excerpt
"“These people are killers, and they're going to kill somebody. And yesterday morning, they executed Johan Sebastian Guerrero.”"
About this source
Reuters video records a protest outside an ICE facility in Scarborough, Maine, the day after the shooting.
- Author
- Reuters
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
El padre de Joan Sebastián Durán, el colombiano asesinado por el ICE: ‘Esa muerte es injusta’
Relevant passage: Headline and paragraphs quoting Omar Durán
Excerpt
"“Esa muerte es injusta.”"
About this source
The interview presents Durán’s response to his son’s death and family background.
- Author
- Emma Jaramillo Bernat
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Oregon Senate Majority Leader Condemns ICE Violence, Federal Lawlessness
Relevant passage: Statement concerning Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero
Excerpt
"“No one should die as a result of immigration enforcement.”"
About this source
Jama’s office issued the statement after fatal shootings by immigration officers in Texas and Maine.
- Author
- Office of Senator Kayse Jama
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Statement from Attorney General Aaron M. Frey prompted by shadow hearing on use of force
Relevant passage: Statement on the status and process of the investigation
Excerpt
"continues to actively investigate the shooting death"
About this source
Status update from the Maine attorney general confirming that the investigation remained active and describing the eventual Deadly Force Review Panel process. It announces no final conclusion.
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
Witness recalls moments around killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero
Relevant passage: Daniel Boucher interview and account of what he heard after the shots
Excerpt
"I tried to stop."
About this source
Interview with nearby resident Daniel Boucher. He described hearing gunshots and statements by Guerrero and the officer afterward; he did not witness the moment the officer fired.
- Author
- Michael Livingston
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
ICE officer who killed a man in Maine never should have had a badge and gun, relatives say
Relevant passage: Identification of David Brouillette and relatives' account of his self-defense explanation
Excerpt
"He said it was a justified shooting. The guy was trying to run him over with a car."
About this source
The Associated Press and Brouillette's relatives identify him as the officer and attribute a self-defense explanation to him. DHS declined to confirm his identity. The relatives' account is indirect and is not a formal DHS finding.
- Author
- Jack Brook, Michael R. Sisak, Amanda Swinhart and Claire Galofaro
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
ICE agent involved in fatal shooting in Maine, authorities say
Relevant passage: ICE statement; Sen. Angus King's statement; body-camera status; witness and Ring-camera reporting
Excerpt
"The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and fearing for public safety an officer discharged his weapon."
About this source
Reports ICE's stated justification, that Guerrero was not the operation's target, the absence of activated body-camera footage, witness Daniel Boucher's account and nearby Ring-camera evidence. The article does not itself resolve the vehicle's path when shots were fired.
- Author
- Luke Barr and Bill Hutchinson
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Videos show moments before and after ICE agents shot man in Biddeford
Relevant passage: Contributed security-camera angles, approximately 7:17–7:20 a.m.
Excerpt
"7:17 a.m.: Gunshots are heard."
About this source
Collection of contributed security-camera footage from several nearby locations. The recordings capture gunfire and portions of the approach and aftermath, but motion-triggered gaps and limited angles do not continuously show the decisive moment.
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Was the ICE officer justified in fatally shooting Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero?
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/ice-officer-fatal-shooting-johan-sebastian-duran-guerrero-justified
The Dispute Index. "Was the ICE officer justified in fatally shooting Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero?". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/cases/ice-officer-fatal-shooting-johan-sebastian-duran-guerrero-justified