- ICE agent shot and killed Johan Guerrero during an enforcement action in Biddeford, Maine.
- Agency equipment failed to record the incident despite mandatory body camera policies issued in 2025.
- DHS retracted claims that Guerrero was the intended target of the warrant operation.
A federal immigration agent shot and killed 25-year-old Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero on Monday, July 13, during an enforcement action in Biddeford, Maine. The agent recorded no footage, about 18 months after ICE made deploying body cameras a “top priority.”
The shooting happened at approximately 7:00 AM ET as Guerrero tried to flee in his car. Agents wore Motorola SVX Video Remote Speaker Microphones, which include camera functions, but officials said those functions were not activated because of a federal contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc., the agency’s exclusive body-camera technology provider.
The equipment gap came as ICE officers operated under a policy requiring camera use during certain planned enforcement actions. The agency had not yet equipped every field office with the new devices.
Free toolUSCIS Receipt Number DecoderThe Department of Homeland Security also revised its account of why the agent opened fire. Secretary Markwayne Mullin initially told Senator Angus King that Guerrero “tried to use his vehicle as a weapon” and was the target of a warrant.
Hours later, Mullin retracted that account. He clarified that Guerrero was not the target of the enforcement action.
DHS officials told King and Representative Chellie Pingree that agents were conducting surveillance at a residence associated with another person. That individual had a final order of removal.
DHS’s initial statement described a vehicle stop and said the driver tried to flee. A spokesperson said the officer fired while fearing for public safety.
“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 driver of the vehicle was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted. He was identified as Colombian national Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero. He passed away from his injuries.”
ICE’s camera directive ran ahead of its equipment rollout
ICE issued Directive 19010.3 on February 15, 2025. The directive made camera deployment a “top priority” and mandated use during all “pre-planned ICE enforcement activities.”
The rollout remained incomplete after the shooting. DHS said only about half of field offices had been fully equipped with new Axon-compatible cameras, citing “delays caused by recent federal government shutdowns.”
The devices carried at the scene could record video, but the agency’s contract with Axon prevented agents from activating that capability for the operation.
| Camera-related fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Directive | Directive 19010.3, issued February 15, 2025 |
| Required activity | All “pre-planned ICE enforcement activities” |
| Equipment at the scene | Motorola SVX Video Remote Speaker Microphones |
| Contract holder | Axon Enterprise, Inc. |
| Equipment rollout | About half of field offices fully equipped |
DHS announced a new requirement on July 15, 2026. Every arrest team must have at least one officer equipped with an active camera.
ICE also temporarily paused non-urgent vehicle stops nationwide. The policy shift followed the second fatal ICE shooting in less than a week, after an incident in Houston, and at least the 10th since a new immigration crackdown began.
Officials also disputed early descriptions of Guerrero
Early DHS reports characterized Guerrero as an “illegal alien.” Immigrant rights groups and his family said he had a Social Security number and was legally authorized to work in the United States when he died.
The revised account removed him from the center of the warrant operation. King and Pingree said DHS officials admitted that agents were seeking someone else at the residence under surveillance.
ICE spokesperson Lauren Bis addressed the agent’s background on July 16, 2026.
“The ICE officer in question has nearly a decade of federal law enforcement experience with required training including use of force training.”
Mills called for an investigation by the DHS inspector general and FBI
The shooting prompted large-scale protests in Biddeford and Portland, Maine. Governor Janet Mills called for a “thorough, full, and impartial investigation” led by the DHS Office of Inspector General and the FBI.
Guerrero is survived by his partner and a 3-year-old daughter. His wife said in public remarks that “his joy was contagious” and that he moved to Maine to provide a better future for his family.
The new arrest-team requirement followed the death. The non-urgent vehicle-stop pause also remained in effect as DHS and ICE faced scrutiny over the inactive recording equipment and the conflicting explanations of the enforcement action.
