An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot a 26-year-old Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13, 2026. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated the officer fired after the man attempted to flee, while U.S. Sen. Angus King later reported that the deceased man was not the intended target of the operation.
DHS and Official Accounts of the Biddeford Shooting
The shooting occurred around 7 a.m. ET on Monday. DHS officials alleged the man, who was in the U.S. illegally, attempted to flee when agents tried to stop him during targeted surveillance of a different individual with a final order of removal. According to DHS, the officer discharged his weapon out of concern for “public safety.”
The Maine attorney general’s office is investigating and stated that initial reports indicate the man “attempted to flee in a vehicle in the direction of” an officer from ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations directorate. The officer involved has been placed on leave. Sen. Susan Collins stated on social media that the DHS inspector general will lead the investigation with FBI assistance.
Conflicting Reports on the Target and Threat
U.S. Sen. Angus King told CNN that Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin initially identified the man as the target of a warrant, but later corrected that information, stating the man “was not the person that they were seeking.” King also noted that Mullin told him the man had “weaponized” his vehicle, though DHS later changed its phrasing to “public safety.”
Rep. Chellie Pingree told CBS News she heard “on good authority” that the wrong person was shot, though DHS had not confirmed this at the time. King told reporters that no evidence has yet been seen to suggest the officer feared for their safety or the safety of others. He further noted that the agents involved were not wearing body cameras.
Witness Testimony and Evidence from the Scene
The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition identified the victim as a 26-year-old Colombian man who possessed a Social Security number and was authorized to work in the U.S. A neighbor, Nelson Elias, told reporters the man was married and had a daughter aged 2 or 3.
Security camera footage obtained by CBS News shows the vehicle driving in a circle several times before stopping, at which point two people appeared to pull the driver from the car. Witness Cory Poulin told reporters he believes the car was rolling because the driver had already been shot. A photo from the Portland Press Herald shows the Kia sedan with four bullet holes in the driver’s side windshield.
Resident Em Akerley told WMTW-TV she saw a white car being “corralled” by two men and observed plainclothes, vested men abandoning their cars in the street. She stated she did not hear anything until the gunshots occurred.
Comparison of Recent ICE Deadly Force Incidents
This event is the second time in one week ICE officers have used deadly force in the U.S. Last week in Houston, an ICE officer shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican man, inside a work van. In both the Maine and Houston incidents, the officers involved were not wearing body cameras.
In the Houston case, DHS claimed Araujo attempted to run over an officer. However, attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra stated that Araujo had already parked the van when the agent reached in and fired. In Maine, the core dispute centers on whether the man “weaponized” the vehicle or was shot while the car was merely rolling.
Potential Legal and Administrative Outcomes
The investigation by the DHS inspector general and the FBI may determine if the use of deadly force was justified under agency policy. Project Relief Maine has called for justice for the victim, and Gov. Janet Mills confirmed that the Maine State Police and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner are working with federal officials to gather details.
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