ICE Agent Involved in Maine Shooting Had History of Violence, Family and Records Say
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who shot a Colombian man in Maine this week is a military veteran who has struggled with severe mental health issues since childhood and should never have been given a badge and a gun to patrol U.S. streets, according to several family members who spoke to The Associated Press. David Brouillette has a history of frightening and violent behavior, they claim. He has been accused of assaulting women in his life over the years; one shared a voice message from last winter in which he told her someone should cut her throat. Brouillette's troubling past raises further questions about the rigor with which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has vetted new recruits during its recent mass hiring campaign aimed at implementing the hardline immigration measures pushed by President Donald Trump. At least 10 people have died in incidents involving immigration agents since Trump launched this offensive after taking office; among them is Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombian citizen who was shot by Brouillette on Monday while in his vehicle near his home in the coastal city of Biddeford, Maine. The DHS, which has not revealed the name of the agent who killed Durán Guerrero, stated that 'the vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, out of concern for public safety, an agent discharged his weapon.' Brouillette did not respond to text messages or emails requesting comment. Three family members who said they spoke with him after the shooting—including an ex-wife and a daughter—indicated he claimed to have acted in self-defense. When asked about Brouillette's background and his involvement in Monday's shooting, ICE spokesperson Lauren Bis stated, 'We will never confirm or deny attempts to disclose personal information about our law enforcement agents,' adding that 'the ICE agent in question has nearly a decade of experience in federal law enforcement and has received mandatory training, including training on the use of force.' The White House referred all questions regarding the shooting and Brouillette to ICE.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
