Joan Sebastian Guerrero spent his final days the way he often did on social media: celebrating his daughter.
Just days before he was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Maine, the 26-year-old Colombian immigrant shared a heartfelt message on Facebook alongside a video of his young daughter.
"Never forget that Dad loves you, Dad adores you, and Dad would do anything for you and to see you happy," he wrote in Spanish.
Hours later, Guerrero was dead after an immigration operation that federal officials now acknowledge was not originally targeting him, raising new questions about the agency's use of force during immigration enforcement operations.
A father from Bucaramanga
Guerrero was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and had built a life in New England with his wife, Karo Rojas, and their young daughter.
His Facebook profile offers a glimpse into the life he was creating.
A post dated Aug. 10, 2019, announced his marriage to Rojas. In the years that followed, his page filled with family photographs, Bible verses and messages celebrating fatherhood.
In one of his most recent posts, Guerrero shared a photograph with his daughter taken in Lowell, Massachusetts, alongside verses from Psalm 37, encouraging faith and trust in God.
Another post simply read:
"Three years later... I love you, my beautiful princess."
Friends and neighbors told reporters they knew Guerrero as a devoted father who rarely missed an opportunity to spend time with his little girl.
He wasn't the person ICE was looking for
One of the most significant developments came hours after the shooting.
Initially, Sen. Angus King said federal officials told him the man who was shot had been the subject of an immigration warrant.
Later that day, Homeland Security officials corrected that account.
According to King, Joan Sebastian Guerrero was not the individual ICE agents had intended to arrest.
Instead, agents were conducting surveillance at a Biddeford residence while looking for another person with a final order of removal. Guerrero left the property in his vehicle, and ICE agents attempted to stop him.
A federal immigration agent fatally shot Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian man, in Biddeford, Maine. Voto Latino's Executive Director Beatriz Lopez released the following statement condemning the killing of Joan Sebastian Guerrero. Swipe to read. 👉🏽📲 pic.twitter.com/W4B9TJHRK2
— Voto Latino (@votolatino) July 13, 2026
What happened during the stop?
Exactly what happened next remains under investigation.
The Department of Homeland Security says Guerrero attempted to flee and drove toward an ICE officer, who fired because he believed his life was in danger.
The Maine Attorney General's Office said preliminary evidence indicates the vehicle moved toward an officer before shots were fired, but emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing.
Witnesses have offered a different account.
Neighbor Daniel Boucher told The Associated Press he heard several gunshots before seeing Guerrero lying wounded outside his vehicle. According to Boucher, Guerrero repeatedly said: "I tried to stop."
The witness also recalled confronting one of the ICE officers, who responded that Guerrero had tried to run him over.
Adding to the uncertainty, Sen. King said the ICE agents involved were not wearing body cameras, meaning investigators must rely on forensic evidence, witness testimony and surveillance footage.
dentifican como Joan Sebastian Guerrero al migrante colombiano abatido por agentes de ICE en Maine. Testigos aseguran que su hija de unos tres años presenció el tiroteo. El caso ya es investigado y la versión oficial enfrenta cuestionamientos.#ICE #Maine #Migración… pic.twitter.com/2BGeS6SBL2
— La Jornada (@lajornadaonline) July 14, 2026
Was his daughter inside the car?
Another key question remains unanswered. Witnesses described seeing Guerrero's wife and a young girl immediately after the shooting. One resident told reporters she watched Guerrero's wife collapse beside his body while the child cried nearby.
Meanwhile, claims circulating on social media and among immigrant advocates have alleged that Guerrero's daughter was inside the vehicle when ICE agents opened fire.
Federal authorities have not confirmed that claim, and investigators have not publicly stated whether the child was inside the vehicle or arrived afterward.
JoanSebastian Guerrero. Murdered today by Trump / ICE. pic.twitter.com/s4Is43lHnK
— Keith Googins (@KeithGoogins) July 13, 2026
A conservative Colombian
Guerrero's public Facebook activity also challenges assumptions that have emerged since his death.
His recent posts show support for Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia's conservative president-elect, whose campaign focused on crime, national security and opposition to the country's political left.
Guerrero also shared political memes criticizing left-wing politicians and reposted content favorable to De la Espriella.
Immigrant advocacy organizations have said Guerrero was authorized to work in the United States and had a Social Security number.
The Colombian Embassy has confirmed it is assisting his family and coordinating with U.S. authorities following his death.
The second ICE shooting in a week
Guerrero's death came just days after another fatal shooting involving ICE.
On July 7, ICE officers fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican construction worker, during an immigration operation in Houston.
The back-to-back shootings have intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration's expanded immigration enforcement strategy and prompted renewed calls for greater transparency in ICE operations.
The shooting is being investigated by the Maine Attorney General's Office, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the FBI.
The ICE officer who fired the fatal shots has been placed on administrative leave while investigators determine whether the use of deadly force was justified.
For Guerrero's family, however, the official investigation cannot answer the loss left behind.
His Facebook page remains filled with reminders of the life he hoped to build: wedding photos, Bible verses, snapshots of family outings and repeated declarations of love for the daughter he called his "beautiful princess."
The final public message he shared with her has since taken on heartbreaking significance:
"Dad loves you. Dad adores you. Dad would do anything for you."
