US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were executing an arrest warrant for a deportable immigrant in the coastal city of Biddeford, Maine, on the morning of 13/7, when they observed a vehicle leaving the area, according to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

They ordered the driver to stop, but the individual attempted to flee. DHS stated that an ICE agent fired their weapon due to "public safety concerns", without elaborating on the specific threat posed by the driver.

Footage recorded by residents at the scene showed that after the shooting, ICE agents pulled the driver out and administered on-site CPR. However, the individual was later confirmed to have died from gunshot wounds.

Immigrant advocacy organizations identified the victim as a 26-year-old man of Colombian origin, who possessed a work permit and a social security number in the US. They described the incident as a "cruel, outrageous, and unacceptable" act by a key force in President Donald Trump's deportation campaign.

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin stated that the individual shot was not the target of the arrest warrant.

Senator Angus King, an independent politician from Maine who often caucuses with Democrats, recounted that he was initially informed the victim had "intentionally rammed his vehicle" into ICE agents. King questioned whether the victim truly threatened the lives of law enforcement personnel, stating that this is a matter requiring thorough investigation.

The Maine Attorney General's Office announced that the agent who fired the weapon has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation. Senator Susan Collins stated that the DHS Office of the Inspector General is cooperating with the FBI to investigate the incident.

Police cordon off the scene of the fatal shooting by an ICE officer in Biddeford, Maine, on 13/7. Photo: AP

Witness Daniel Boucher recounted hearing multiple gunshots, then seeing an SUV crash into the victim's car. He stated that the man was injured in the head and face, and he heard the victim say, "I tried to stop",.

A local resident reported that the victim lived with his wife and daughter near the scene, while a laundromat owner described him as a kind person who often brought his daughter for candy and always helped clean up.

That evening, hundreds of people took to the streets in Maine, protesting against ICE and confronting a group supporting ICE and President Trump.

This was the second fatal shooting involving ICE within one week, following the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52 years old, in Houston, Texas, on 7/7, after agents from the agency shot him.

DHS claimed that Araujo, a Mexican national, rammed his vehicle into an ICE vehicle and attempted to assault an agent, but the agency did not release evidence.

Texas residents protest outside Houston City Hall on 11/7, expressing outrage over the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by an ICE officer. Photo: AP

Numerous protests have taken place outside Houston City Hall, demanding clarification on the cause of the shooting that led to Araujo's death and calling for the release of a witness currently detained by immigration authorities.

The victim's family, along with many state and local leaders, attended a memorial service for Araujo in Houston. Numerous other protests are expected to continue across Texas next week.

By Thanh Danh (Reuters, Texas Tribune, AP, Fox26)