A person may be dead in an apparent shooting in Biddeford Monday morning.
Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, posted to social media Monday that authorities are on scene gathering details about the shooting, which appeared to involve U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Spokespeople for ICE and U.S. Department of Homeland Security have not commented on the incident. Biddeford police Chief JoAnne Fisk declined to answer questions about the shooting when reached Monday morning.
Bullet holes seen in car windshield
Several bullet holes are scattered across the front windshield of a white Kia sedan after a white police SUV had smashed into it at the intersection of Hill Street and Pool Street in Biddeford.
Video shows car driving near scene
The car of the apparent shooting victim was seen rolling slowly down the street as law enforcement followed.
However, the department did notify parents that “out of an abundance of caution” it would not visit Clifford Park as scheduled. The park is located off Pool Street.
Reporters have been taking phone calls and recording packages for televised news segments, waiting for a briefing to begin, but so far no officials have showed up. The general consensus is: No one is leaving until they get more information.
Protests begin near shooting scene
A small group of protesters has gathered near the scene of the shooting. Things seem to be heating up as more law enforcement are showing up.
“I am so deeply disturbed and angry,” Pingree, whose 1st District covers Biddeford and southern Maine, said. “I, of course, need to know all of the answers here.”
She rattled off questions she has, including whether officers were pursuing someone with a criminal record, if it was a traffic stop, if the officers were wearing body cameras and why the person was shot.
“More than anything else, I want to know, why are you in Maine?” Pingree said, directing that to ICE agents. “Every report we hear is about somebody being picked up who legally was here, and is this going to be another one of those stories?”
Spokespeople for U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, the lone Republican in the delegation, and Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, acknowledged a reporter’s message Monday morning but had not yet shared comments from Maine’s senators.
The same was true for U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat whose 2nd District does not include Biddeford but rather the northern half of Maine.
“We aren’t weighing in (until) more information is available,” a King spokesperson texted a Press Herald reporter.
Protest planned following shooting
Protests are already in the works in response to the incident on Monday.
Biddeford Saco for Racial Justice, a social justice group, posted on Facebook Monday that they would host a protest at noon at Mechanics Park in Biddeford.
“Folks are really upset,” they wrote in the comments section on their post about the event. “I imagine there will be more.”
Saco mayor offers assistance
Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail said the city has been watching the events in nearby Biddeford and “providing assistance as needed.”
“Our hearts go out to all involved and we are fully engaged with their efforts,” she said in a written statement. “Our hope is everyone remains calm and works together to provide uncompromising unity for our wonderful communities that we call home.”
Andrew McCormack, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maine, said the office is aware that the FBI is on scene but declined to provide further details.
A spokesperson for the Office of the Maine Attorney General said information will be shared “when timing is appropriate.”
ICE activity increased in recent weeks
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased its daily arrest goals in recent weeks under the leadership of the Department of Homeland Security head who was confirmed in March, Markwayne Mullin.
Mullin said he wanted ICE detentions to be less headline-grabbing than they were earlier this year, but to still fulfill President Trump’s goal of mass deportations. The New York Times reported on July 1 that nationwide, detentions had roughly doubled from the 1,000 people picked up each day earlier this year.
As he turned to look at the commotion, Scott said he saw an agent with their weapon drawn, yelling at a driver who appeared to move their vehicle toward the officer.
“The car was put into drive and was trying to hit the ICE officer,” Scott said.
The agent then fired about four shots, Scott said.
“I just heard the popping, but I did see him draw his gun,” Scott said.
Nearby residents shaken by shooting
Mary Hayes, a resident who lives on Chapel Street, said she had seen only the aftermath at the corner of her road. “There’s a dead body down there,” she cried to her neighbor. “I saw it, I saw his foot.”
Hayes was shaken by the events. “I mean, we live in Maine. We don’t expect this to happen here. What have we come to?“
Several streets blocked off for active crime scene
Several streets in the area of Hill and Pool streets are blocked off as law enforcement crews respond to the scene.
Dispatchers confirmed the roads are closed due to an an active crime scene, and told a reporter that there is no danger to the public at this time.
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