Maine ICE shooting victim was not target of arrest warrant, Sen. King’s office says after earlier DHS account
A man fatally shot by an ICE agent in Maine on Monday was not the intended target of the arrest warrant federal agents were executing, Sen. Angus King’s office said, marking a shift from what the senator had told reporters hours earlier after speaking with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
In an interview with Fox News, King, I-Maine, confirmed that Mullin later informed the senator the "victim was not the target of the warrant."
"When I first talked to him, he said the person was the target of the warrant. He called me back. He initiated a call to me to say he had learned subsequently that he was not the target of the warrant," King said. "So he corrected the information he had."
King had said earlier Monday afternoon that Mullin told him the man who was killed in Biddeford, a coastal city roughly 15 miles southwest of Portland, was the target of an immigration enforcement operation and had been ordered to leave the country.
ICE SAYS OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO TRIED TO RAM HIM WITH CAR IN HOUSTON
"About 20 minutes ago, I talked to Secretary Markwayne [Mullin] of the Department of Homeland Security about the incident in Biddeford," King told reporters Monday afternoon.
"The individual who has been killed is a male in his 20s. That's all I know about him," King continued. "He had been given an order to leave the country. He was in a vehicle – pulled out in the vehicle, and the term the secretary used was ‘weaponized’ the vehicle and was shot by an ICE agent."
King said at the time that, based on what Mullin had told him, the man who was shot was the target of the immigration enforcement operation.
"He had given me incorrect information," King told Fox News. "Once he learned it was incorrect, he let me know which I respect."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, an ICE spokesperson said that agents were conducting "targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal."
"An illegal alien departed the residence in a vehicle. 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," they said. "The driver of the vehicle was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted. He passed away from his injuries."
"The Biddeford Police Department and FBI responded to the scene," the spokesperson continued. "DHS OIG has been notified and like all discharge of firearms this will be investigated. This is a developing situation, and we will update the public when more information is available."
Earlier on Monday, King said in a press conference that he pressed Mullin for a "full, transparent and open investigation" into the fatal shooting, which he said would be led by the FBI because it involved a federal operation.
"What I said to the Secretary was, we want a full, transparent and open investigation of this matter," King said. "And one of the problems is apparently – and again, everything I'm saying is what I know now, certain facts may come out – but apparently there are no cameras. Body cameras were not on the agents. So we have no video evidence of what occurred in this case."
NEW YORKER SUING ICE AFTER OFFICERS WENT TO HIS HOME TO WARN HIM OVER CRITICISM OF AGENCY
King said Mullin committed to him that the investigation would be fair and transparent.
"It's a tragedy whenever there's a loss of life. We don't know the circumstances at this point, but my statement to Secretary [Mullin], I said, ‘I'm going to say that you have committed to me that this investigation will be full, fair and transparent. Can I say that?' He said, ‘Yes, absolutely.’ So that's the status of this matter right now."
King said he intends to monitor the investigation closely.
"And that's why I was so explicit with the secretary. I know him from working with him in the Senate before he became secretary. I have no reason to think that he's not telling me the truth. But my motto, as with Ronald Reagan, is trust but verify," King said. "And I intend to stay on this. And to be sure that we can verify what happened and also whether the investigation is proceeding in a full, comprehensive and transparent way."
King said investigators must determine whether the man’s actions with the vehicle justified the use of deadly force.
"And the question is, what did he do with his vehicle? Were officers threatened? Was this were the threats rising to the level that justified deadly force? That's what this investigation is all about," King said. "And I certainly intend to, stay after it, to do everything I can to be sure the investigation is as transparent and thorough as possible, and that our state and local officials aren't frozen out from the involvement with this project, with this investigation."
Following the incident, protesters rallied outside of Sen. Susan Collins’, R-Maine, office and entered through the front doors, chanting "vote her out." Several people were also seen hanging anti-ICE signs in the windows.
King said the community had a right to demand answers.
"I think the community has every right to ask questions and to bring pressure to bear on, on the federal government for straight answers and honest answers," King said. "And whatever evidence there is should be made public and should be made public soon. And, I think the role of the community is to express concern."
"We don't yet really know what happened, but to ensure that we find out what happened and that if there were actions that were unjustified, that those who committed those actions will be held accountable," he added.
In a statement, Collins said the FBI is investigating.
"The shooting in Biddeford requires a full and impartial investigation of what happened," Collins said.
Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, said in a statement that she had been briefed on the fatal incident "involving Federal law enforcement." She added that state police were cooperating with local and federal officials.
The Biddeford Police Department said it responded to calls about an occurrence at Pool and Hill streets that "involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel."
The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine identified the man who was killed as a 26-year-old Colombian man.
"He was a member of our community, a neighbor, and a human being whose life was cut tragically short. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, loved ones, and everyone now grieving this unimaginable loss," the groups said in a joint statement.
"A 26-year-old man came to Maine to live and work, and now his family is mourning his death following an incident involving ICE," the statement continued. "This is devastating, enraging, and unacceptable. His loved ones deserve answers, and the public deserves a full and transparent account of what happened."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Sen. King's office and the FBI for additional details.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.