What we know so far
• DHS statement: An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fired his weapon “fearing for public safety” as the 26-year-old victim of Monday’s fatal shooting in Maine “attempted to flee the scene,” the Department of Homeland Security said in its first official statement nearly 12 hours after the incident. However, the statement did not explain why the ICE officer thought the driver was a threat.
• Conflicting reports: Earlier today, Sen. Angus King spoke with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who said the Colombian man was “NOT the target of the warrant,” according to the Maine senator’s office. Mullin initially told King the man was the target of a warrant, the senator’s office said.
• ICE accountability: The shooting comes just days after a federal agent fatally shot a Mexican immigrant during a traffic stop in Houston. The shootings have reignited calls for accountability among ICE agents, which reached a fever pitch following the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
ICE officer "fearing for public safety" shot fleeing man, DHS says after hours of silence
An ICE officer fired his weapon “fearing for public safety” as the victim of Monday’s fatal shooting, in a vehicle, “attempted to flee the scene,” the Department of Homeland Security said in its first official statement nearly 12 hours after the incident in Maine.
The department did not share details on why the officer believed the man was a public safety risk.
The man was not the target of the immigration enforcement operation, according to the office of Maine Sen. Angus King, citing a conversation with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. DHS said it had been conducting surveillance on a last known address of an undocumented immigrant with a final order of removal, when someone departed the residence.
“On July 13, 2026, at approximately 7:00 AM ET, ICE was conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal. An illegal alien departed the residence in a vehicle. ICE law enforcement attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and fearing for public safety an officer discharged his weapon,” the statement said.
Emergency services were contacted after driver was struck by gunfire, DHS said. “He passed away from his injuries.”
“The Biddeford Police Department and FBI responded to the scene. DHS OIG has been notified and like all discharge of firearms this will be investigated,” DHS said “This is a developing situation, and we will update the public when more information is available.”
Mexican Senate condemns deaths of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and other Mexican citizens
The Senate of the Republic of Mexico on Monday condemned incidents related to the actions of US immigration authorities involving the deaths of 17 Mexican citizens, including Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent on July 7.
The Senate called for thorough investigations into each death to determine responsibility and provide justice for the victims and their families, according to a statement shared on X.
Of the 17 Mexican citizens who have died during President Donald Trump’s second term, 14 were in ICE custody and three died in operations carried out by the agency, the Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said.
The Senate said it will consistently monitor the investigations and request periodic reports from the proper immigration authorities.
Family "lost a father, lost a partner," after fatal ICE-involved shooting in Maine, mayor says
Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain said he is mourning for those affected by the fatal ICE-involved shooting this morning in his Maine city, including the victim’s family.
“I am mourning for the individuals impacted, for the family that lost a father, lost a partner, and a community member as well,” he told CNN affiliate WGME. “I’m going to be calling for – along with other elected officials in our state – for a full and thorough, transparent investigation from the federal government and the involvement of Maine State Police.”
The identity of the man who was killed has not been revealed, with the Office of the Maine Attorney General saying earlier today it would not name the victim until he’s been positively identified and family members are notified.
The latest on the fatal ICE-involved shooting of a Colombian man in Maine
A 26-year-old Colombian man fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Biddeford, Maine, was “NOT the target of the warrant,” Sen. Angus King’s office said after the lawmaker again spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
King said earlier, citing a separate conversation with Mullin, that the man was the target of a warrant.
Here’s what we know so far about the shooting in Maine:
- A woman’s Ring camera captured the moment gunshots were heard in the Maine shooting. Additionally, an eyewitness near the fatal shooting says she heard gunshots. Laura Peters said she heard people yelling “stop” on her home’s security camera, but the scene was quiet when she got there. Now that she knows what transpired, Peters said she’s afraid for her kids and feels “terror.”
- Hours after gunfire rang through the streets of the small city, details around how the incident unfolded remain scant, and DHS has yet to release a statement about what happened.
- In a statement announcing it is investigating the incident, the Office of the Maine Attorney General said initial statements claim the man who died was attempting to flee in a vehicle “in the direction of the officer” before he was shot. DHS’ Office of Inspector General’s Boston field office has taken over the investigation of the shooting, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she was told by Mullin.
- Maine officials will “remain tough” in making sure they investigate what took place in Monday’s shooting, the state’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
Two men killed in ICE shootings don't appear to be the targets of immigration operations
Over the last week, two men were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during immigration enforcement operations – but neither appear to have been the direct targets of those operations, according to a source and Maine Sen. Angus King.
Last Tuesday, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed in Houston by an ICE agent while he was on his way to work, but he wasn’t the target of the immigration operation, according to a source with preliminary details about the incident. ICE hasn’t specified if he was a target of the operation.
Texas authorities previously notified ICE about two individuals — neither of whom was Salgado Araujo — traveling in a white van believed to be in the United States without legal status, according to the source, prompting them to surveil the vehicle.
Officials surveilled the target’s address for weeks, where two white vans were seen at the property, a Homeland Security official told CNN. As officers were on their way to the target’s address on July 7, they saw a white van with a person who resembled the target, the official said. The van was registered to Salgado Araujo, who agents determined to be in the country illegally, the source said. This is what led to Tuesday’s confrontation.
While many details of Monday’s shooting in Maine aren’t known, Maine Sen. Angus King said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him the man was “NOT the target of the warrant,” according to the senator’s office.
King had told reporters earlier in the day the man fatally shot by agents was the target of a warrant, citing a conversation with Mullin. CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for more information on the shooting, which is yet to release information on what happened Monday.
Eyewitness near fatal Maine ICE shooting says she heard gunshots
A witness who lives near the scene where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot a 26-year-old Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine, said she heard gunshots.
Laura Peters said that she initially thought a car backfired.
“I was getting my DoorDash and I thought I heard a car backfiring, and I asked the DoorDash driver if that was a car. He said he didn’t know, so we kind of went down to the corner, and saw a bunch of vehicles pull up at the same time, marked and unmarked,” she told CNN’s Jason Carroll.
Peters described seeing three vehicles and vested men. Peters said she didn’t see the body being pulled out of the car, but she could tell what was happening.
Peters said she heard people yelling “stop” on her home’s security camera, but the scene was quiet when she got there.
Now that she knows what transpired, Peters said she’s afraid for her kids and she feels “terror.”
Correction: An earlier photo with this post misidentified the person pictured. The person pictured was Em Ackerly.
Local investigators now have most of the evidence in Minneapolis shooting cases, DA says
Local officials in Minnesota now have most of the evidence regarding the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents after it was withheld from them for months, Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty said.
Federal investigators shared a “great deal of evidence” with local authorities today, including body camera footage from the federal agents’ interaction with Pretti, Moriarty told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
The district attorney’s office previously filed a lawsuit seeking a judge’s order that the federal government turn over the information to local officials, she said. Now, they “appear to have most of that evidence,” Moriarty said.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a statement today that its office has “been in discussions” with federal authorities since the shootings occurred. The BCA and federal entities eventually were able to reach an agreement to share information, BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said.
DHS Inspector General has taken over Biddeford shooting investigation, Sen. Collins says
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Sen. Susan Collins of Maine the agency’s Office of Inspector General’s Boston field office has taken over the investigation of the ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine, the senator said.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin has informed me that the Boston office of the DHS Inspector General has taken over the investigation of the Biddeford shooting in cooperation with the FBI,” Collins wrote on X.
The senator said earlier Monday that Biddeford police had secured the scene and that the FBI was investigating.
The DHS Inspector General is the department’s independent watchdog agency that routinely examines certain use-of-force incidents by DHS officers.
State officials will "remain tough" in Maine shooting investigation
While there are a lot of unknown details in the shooting of a a 26-year-old Colombian man in Maine today, state officials will “remain tough” in making sure they investigate what happened, the state’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
Bellows spoke with people in Biddeford today who told her they are “heartbroken” by the shooting.
DHS secretary corrected himself after initially saying victim was target of ICE operation, senator says
In the hours since his press conference Monday, Sen. Angus King again spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin who said the man fatally shot by federal agents in Biddeford was “NOT the target of the warrant,” according to the Maine senator’s office.
King earlier told reporters, citing a separate conversation with Mullin, that the man who was fatally shot was the target of a warrant.
“Senator King continued to emphasize the need for a full, comprehensive, and transparent investigation,” his office said.
CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security.
Woman's Ring camera captures moment gunshots heard in Maine
Video shows the moment a woman’s Ring camera captured gunshots in the background while her cat sat calmly on the kitchen table on Monday in Biddeford, Maine.
The video captures the sound of multiple gunshots fired in rapid succession at 7:17 a.m.
Hours after a fatal, ICE-involved shooting, information remains scarce
For the second time in just under a week, federal agents have shot and killed a person during an immigration enforcement operation, this time in Maine.
But hours after gunfire rang through the streets of the small city of Biddeford, details around how the incident unfolded remain scant.
The mayor of Biddeford said he’s received an “avalanche” of inquiries from media organizations across the country since the shooting unfolded, but he simply has no new information to share.
As of 4:30 p.m. ET, the Department of Homeland Security, the agency overseeing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has yet to release a statement in the nine hours since the incident occurred.
Local officials have asked for a full and impartial probe, and the Office of the Maine Attorney General has said it is investigating the shooting alongside local and federal authorities.
Protesters take to the streets in Biddeford, Maine, after fatal shooting
Protesters are making their voices heard in Biddeford, Maine, after a 26-year-old Colombian man was killed in a shooting involving federal officers earlier today.
The crowd of people was standing near an intersection with signs that said “abolish ICE now” and “ICE out now.” Others can be heard chanting “no justice, no peace.”
DHS has yet to release statement about fatal Maine shooting involving ICE
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet released a statement about the fatal shooting involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Biddeford, Maine.
The agency released statements for other deadly shootings involving federal agents, and most recently it took almost 12 hours to release a statement on the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas.
CNN has reached out to DHS for comment on the Maine shooting.
At times, DHS was quick to post statements after incidents that ended up getting debunked by eyewitnesses’ videos, as was the case with the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis early this year during Operation Metro Surge.
Here’s when DHS released information about other high-profile shooting incidents this year:
- Renee Good was fatally shot in Minneapolis around 10:30 a.m. ET January 7, and DHS released a statement on X at 12:45 p.m. ET.
- Alex Pretti was shot in Minneapolis at 10:05 a.m. ET on January 24 and DHS released a statement on X at 12:31 p.m. ET.
- The fatal shooting of Salgado Araujo in Houston incident occurred around 7 a.m. ET July 7 and DHS released a statement at 6:47 p.m. ET.
- The Maine shooting occurred around 7:17 a.m. ET and DHS has yet to release a statement.
Maine AG: Initial statements claim man shot by ICE had fled “in the direction” of officer
The man fatally shot by an ICE officer in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday morning was attempting to flee in a vehicle “in the direction of the officer” before he was shot, initial statements claim, the Office of the Maine Attorney General said in a statement announcing it is investigating the incident.
The officer had been “conducting an enforcement operation related to a final order of removal,” according to the attorney general’s office. “The Enforcement Removal Operations Officer will be placed on leave as is standard protocol in police involved shootings.”
The victim won’t be named until positive identification is made and family has been notified, the attorney general’s office said.
The attorney general’s office will remain on scene as it investigates, with assistance from Biddeford, Saco and Maine State Police departments, as well as federal authorities.
The office asked members of the public to come forward if they have information that would be helpful to its investigation.
“We understand individuals may want to gather and make their voice(s) heard. We ask that people remain peaceful, be respectful of others, and follow the directions of local law enforcement officers who will be maintaining public order,” the office said. “We also understand this is a matter of significant public interest and while we will strive for meaningful transparency and accountability, our primary focus in this moment is on a complete, thorough investigation.”
"ICE needs to leave Maine now," mayor says
The mayor of Lewiston said his city stands in support with the nearby city of Biddeford following an ICE-involved shooting there this morning, saying, “ICE needs to leave Maine now.”
“Lewiston stands with Biddeford during this time and our hearts go out to the friends and family of the individual and the entire community,” Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said in a statement. “While an impartial and transparent investigation will take time, one thing is already clear: ICE needs to leave Maine now.”
Lewiston and Biddeford are separated by nearly 50 miles of verdant Maine landscape, connected by Interstate 95 as it snakes through the state’s central river valleys down to the southern coast.
Protesters gather outside senator's office after the fatal ICE-involved shooting in Maine
More than a dozen people gathered outside of Republican Sen. Susan Collins’ office to protest the killing of a 26-year-old Colombian man in a shooting involving federal officers in Biddeford, Maine, this morning.
The shooting requires a “full and impartial investigation,” Collins wrote on X. “It is my understanding that the Biddeford police have secured the site and that the FBI is investigating.”
In June, Collins voted for a $70 billion package that provides additional funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol through the rest of President Donald Trump’s term.
Biddeford, a coastal Maine city, has a small immigrant population
A person was killed Monday in an ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine — the state’s sixth-largest city, situated on the Atlantic Coast.
About 18 miles southwest of Portland, the former textile milling hub is home to about 22,000 people and predominately White, according to the US Census Bureau. About 3.5% of its population was born outside the United States.
There are about 28,400 noncitizens living in Maine, according to the Vera Institute of Justice. That’s about 2% of the state’s roughly 1.4 million residents, according to US Census data.
US Sen. Angus King said the man killed was not the target of a warrant, reversing his earlier statement, after he spoke again with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
The ACLU and other advocates filed a lawsuit against federal immigration agents for “abducting a lawful immigrant” during a statewide immigration enforcement surge in January, which the administration called “Operation Catch of the Day.”
More than 200 people were “picked up” during that operation, Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine said today.
“But we have continued to see people who are having knocks come at their door, people who are afraid to go to work, people are afraid to go to the grocery store. Even though they’re legally here, they’re worried that their status won’t be believed and they will be picked up and detained,” she said.
This post has been updated.
Car involved in ICE shooting in Maine seen turning slowly, after shots were fired, witness says
A woman who lives near the scene of the shooting tells CNN she “heard a gunshot, then more in rapid succession.” When she looked out her living room window, she saw “a small white car doing a slow circle in the intersection with two agents pressed up against the driver side door.”
Cell phone video taken from the scene of a fatal ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford shows what appears to be the Kia Sedan the 26-year-old Colombian man may have been driving, turning in a slow circle as law enforcement officials pursue it.
(Video credit: From Portland Press Herald)
Federal officers and Biddeford police provide aid to man killed in ICE-involved shooting
WARNING: This video contains graphic images. Viewer discretion is advised.
A video obtained by CNN shows federal officers and Biddeford police providing aid to a man who an official says was killed in an ICE-involved shooting in Maine this morning.
One person was killed in a shooting involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Biddeford, Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau said.
The slain person was a 26-year-old Colombian man, according to the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition. He was a target of an immigration enforcement operation, according to US Sen. Angus King of Maine.
CNN has reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
