Man fatally shot in Maine ICE operation identified by neighbor as he describes chaotic scene
BIDDEFORD, MAINE: The man fatally shot during an immigration enforcement operation in Maine has been identified as 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a Colombian national whose death has sparked emotional reactions from neighbors who witnessed the aftermath.
The shooting took place on Monday, July 13, in Biddeford during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation targeting Guerrero. Authorities said he was subject to a final order of removal. The incident remains under investigation by the Maine Attorney General's Office, the FBI, and other agencies.
Joan Sebastian Guerrero's neighbor recalls chaotic scene, hearing multiple gunshots
Guerrero's identity was confirmed by neighbor Nelson Elias, who told CNN he had known the 26-year-old since 2024.
Elias said he was awakened by screams and loud activity involving law enforcement before hearing multiple gunshots outside his home.
Joan Sebastian Guerrero had his whole life ahead of him. This is a national tragedy. Protests have erupted across Biddeford. pic.twitter.com/60CHjRnxel
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) July 14, 2026
“Around 7 am I heard screams, they woke me up. I heard them (officers) telling him to park the car. It was really loud. Then all of a sudden they shot like 6 times, and it was just something hard to hear,” Elias recalled.
After checking on his family, Elias went outside and saw the aftermath.
“I checked on my family first then I went outside. He was there on the ground. His wife was there screaming and crying next to him. His daughter was there too,” he said.
Neighbors describe emotional scene after shooting
According to Elias, Guerrero lived with his partner and young daughter and worked as a delivery driver.
“He was a good person. He was quiet and reserved. He worked hard to provide for his wife and a 3-year-old daughter,” Elias said. “We just ask for justice for his family. It was hard to see his wife sitting there just crying and screaming.”
Another nearby resident, Daniel Boucher, said he initially thought the gunshots were fireworks before looking outside from his third-floor window.
“Well, I heard the pop, pop, pop sound and I didn't know what it was because I thought it was fireworks,” Boucher said.
Looking out, he saw a sedan stopped at an angle with an SUV behind it. He said the wounded driver appeared to move the vehicle briefly before it was struck again.
Witness recalls hearing Joan Sebastian Guerrero's final words
Boucher said he watched as officers approached the vehicle and removed the injured driver.
“He started coming down the street again driving and I don't know how, and then the SUV hit him again,” Boucher said. “ICE agent got out, tried to open the door and had a difficult time but eventually opened it and pulled the guy out. His face was bloody, his head was bloody.”
According to the witness, Guerrero spoke moments after he was pulled from the vehicle.
“I tried to stop,” Boucher said he heard the injured man tell officers.
Boucher also recalled briefly confronting an agent after the shooting.
“The ICE agent that shot him walked right in front of me,” he said. “I was emotional and I just let him have it. He looked at me and said, ‘He tried to run me over,’ or something to that effect.”
Authorities have said preliminary information indicates the driver was attempting to flee in the direction of an ICE officer.
The agent involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave while investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
