A United States (US) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer recently killed a man during a traffic stop in Maine, prompting authorities to largely pause vehicle stops for now.
The incident occurred on Monday, July 14, when federal agents tracked down the last known address of another man with a final deportation order.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), agents attempted to stop the now-dead man’s car, but he attempted to drive away, prompting an officer to open fire out of fear for public safety. The man, identified as 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero of Colombia, died from his injuries; however, it was later revealed that he was not who ICE was looking for.
According to neighbors, the victim was married and had a daughter aged two or three.
Maine Sen. Angus King said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin first told him Guerrero was the man the agents were looking for. About three hours later, King said Mullin called back and admitted it wasn’t true. After all, Guerrero wasn’t the intended target.
King is now pushing for a full, transparent investigation. He also said body cameras still haven’t reached all ICE units, including in Biddeford. He was told cameras were coming, but possibly not for 45 days.
This is the second deadly ICE shooting in less than two weeks. Days earlier, ICE agents shot and killed a Mexican man, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, during a similar vehicle stop in Houston. His brother, who was in the vehicle with him, said someone simply said “stop” and immediately fired.
Both shootings involved traffic stops, a tactic ICE has leaned heavily on to make immigration arrests. After the backlash, ICE reportedly asked agents to largely pause vehicle stops for now.
