A routine Monday morning in the quiet coastal town of Biddeford, Maine, turned into a scene of chaos when US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents fatally shot a 26-year-old Colombian man during an immigration enforcement operation.
Witnesses described seeing officers pull the bloodied driver from his vehicle before handcuffing him as he lay motionless on the ground, while online claims that a young child witnessed the aftermath spread rapidly across social media, adding to the anger surrounding yet another deadly ICE encounter.
ICE Says Officer Opened Fire After Driver Tried To Flee
The fatal shooting happened at around 7 a.m. on Monday during an ICE surveillance operation targeting the last known address of a person with a final order of removal.
According to the US Department of Homeland Security, agents attempted to stop a vehicle leaving the property. The department said the driver tried to flee, prompting an ICE officer to fire his weapon because he feared for public safety.
Officials provided few additional details and did not explain exactly how the driver posed an immediate threat. The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI responded to the scene, although federal officials did not immediately clarify which agency would lead the investigation.
Early information shared with Maine Senator Angus King suggested the driver had allegedly used his vehicle as a weapon against officers. However, King's office later said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin updated him with new information confirming the man who was killed was not actually the individual targeted by the immigration warrant.
The senator also revealed that the ICE agents involved were not equipped with body cameras during the operation.
ICE Handcuffing Colombian Man's Lifeless Corpse
As news of the shooting spread, social media was flooded with emotional reactions and allegations that quickly went viral.
One widely shared post claimed, 'ICE has shot and killed yet another man, this time a 26-year-old Colombian in Maine who was not the target of their investigation. This comes after they killed a Mexican man, who was also not the target of their operation, in Houston last week.'
Perhaps the most widely circulated allegation accused officers of handcuffing the victim after he had already died. The post read, 'They shot him, dragged his lifeless body onto the pavement, and handcuffed his corpse while his 3-year-old daughter wearing Bluey pajamas watched in horror. If you say you voted for this you are an empty soulless vessel.'
OMG. They still dropped him on the ground and handcuffed him after a bullet through his head. pic.twitter.com/AsKoHCkZPO https://t.co/pNKH95bryc
— David J. Bier (@David_J_Bier) July 13, 2026
Witness Describes Driver's Final Moments
Daniel Boucher, a 71-year-old Biddeford resident, claimed he heard several loud bangs that initially sounded like fireworks before rushing to his window.
He said he watched a white SUV collide with a smaller white car. After running outside, Boucher claimed he saw an ICE officer pull the wounded driver from the vehicle. The man reportedly had blood covering parts of his face and head.
According to Boucher, the injured driver uttered the words, 'But I tried to stop,' before appearing to lose consciousness and stop breathing.
The fatal shooting has intensified calls for greater transparency and accountability as questions continue to surround one of the most controversial ICE operations of the year.
