An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who fatally shot a 26-year-old Colombian man in Maine this week has a history of violent behavior, according to relatives who spoke to multiple media outlets. The agent, David Michael Brouillette, is an Army veteran who has faced mental health struggles since childhood and has been accused of assaulting women in his life. One family member shared a voicemail with The Associated Press in which Brouillette allegedly threatened to slit someone's throat.
The shooting occurred on Monday when ICE agents were conducting surveillance on the last known address of an individual with a final order of removal. The agency stated that the vehicle attempted to flee, and an officer discharged his weapon fearing for public safety. The deceased, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, was in the U.S. lawfully with a work permit and Social Security number issued under the Trump administration. He had come to the U.S. in 2023 to seek better opportunities for his family.
Brouillette's ex-wife, Ashley Brouillette, told the Portland Press-Herald that he called her after the shooting, asking her to lie for him. She said he claimed the shooting was justified because the victim tried to hit him with his car, but she did not believe his story after reviewing videos of the incident. She also alleged that Brouillette was abusive and had warned his military superiors about his mental health issues.
The shooting has raised questions about the Department of Homeland Security's screening process for recruits, particularly as the agency expanded hiring efforts to support President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement agenda. Since Trump's return to office, federal agents have shot at more than 20 people as part of the immigration crackdown, killing six of them. Almost all those shootings have involved individuals inside their vehicles.
Durán's family and friends described him as a devoted father who worked cleaning and delivery jobs to provide for his daughter. A neighbor, Mary Hayes, told the Washington Post that she saw Durán's partner sobbing after the shooting, calling the scene heartbreaking. The couple's daughter, who recently turned three, was nearby during the incident.
ICE temporarily paused most vehicle stops following Durán's death, but Trump reversed the decision on Wednesday, stating that traffic stops are a critical tool for crime fighting.