A 26-year-old Colombian man was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday, July 13, 2026. While initial reports suggested the man was the target of a deportation warrant, federal officials later clarified he was not the intended subject of their enforcement operation.
Disputed Circumstances of the Biddeford Shooting
The incident occurred at the intersection of Pool Street and Hill Street on Monday morning. According to the Maine Attorney General’s Office, an Enforcement Removal Operations officer was conducting an operation related to a final order of removal when the driver of a white sedan attempted to flee. The officer fired, fatally wounding the man.
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, provided conflicting details throughout the day regarding the victim’s status. Initially, the senator stated he had been informed by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that the man was the target of an arrest warrant. By late Monday afternoon, King’s office issued a correction, confirming that Secretary Mullin had clarified the victim was not the target of the warrant.
Weaponization Claims and Witness Accounts
Federal officials have characterized the driver’s actions as an attempt to use his vehicle against the agents. Secretary Mullin described the scene to Sen. King by stating the driver had weaponized the vehicle
before being shot, according to reporting by AP News. The Maine Attorney General’s Office similarly noted that initial statements suggest the motorist was attempting to flee in the direction of the officer.
Eyewitness testimony offers a different perspective on the final moments of the encounter. Daniel Boucher, who observed the scene from a nearby window, reported hearing gunshots and seeing the vehicle come to a stop at an angle.
“I clearly heard the victim say, ‘I tried to stop’ — clearly heard him say that.”
Daniel Boucher, local resident
Boucher also alleged that when he confronted the officer at the scene, the agent responded that the driver tried to run me over,
though he noted he could not recall the exact wording.
Investigation and Lack of Body Camera Evidence
The investigation into the shooting has been centralized under the Boston office of the DHS Inspector General, working in coordination with the FBI. Maine State Police are also assisting in the inquiry. A significant point of contention regarding the transparency of this investigation is the absence of visual evidence.
Sen. King stated that he was told no body-worn cameras were active on the federal agents involved in the incident. Different facts may come out, but apparently there are no cameras involved. Body cameras were not on the agents, and, so we have no video, evidence of what occurred in this case,
King said.
While official body camera footage is unavailable, other visual records exist. Security footage from a nearby laundromat reportedly captured the car rolling into the intersection following the gunfire. Additionally, first-responder video shows medical aid being administered to the victim, who was lying in the street near the white sedan. The victim, identified by advocacy groups as a 26-year-old Colombian national, was authorized to work in the United States. The Colombian Embassy has confirmed it is in contact with U.S. authorities to assist in identifying the victim and managing legal protocols.
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