Critics on social media tore into the Department of Homeland Security’s explanation for the fatal shooting of a 26-year-old Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday at the hands of an ICE officer.Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) initially said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him an officer opened fire after the man allegedly attempted to weaponize his vehicle. King also said that Mullin told him officers were in Biddeford to serve an arrest warrant, but the man who was shot and killed was not the target. However, DHS issued a statement that contradicted this account of events. On Monday afternoon, the department said on X that the “vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon.” DHS has frequently used the weaponized vehicle claim to justify shootings by immigration enforcement officers. That reasoning has come under increased scrutiny in recent months after video evidence in many cases has come to light, showing the government’s account of events to be untrue.On July 13, 2026, at approximately 7:00 AM ET, ICE was 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…— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 13, 2026Two immigrant advocacy groups, the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente!, told The Associated Press the man who was killed was authorized to work in the U.S.Mary Hayes, who lives near where the shooting happened, told AP that the deceased victim also resides in the area with his wife and daughter. “I watched a wife fall to her knees looking at her husband’s dead body on the ground,” Hayes told AP. “I watched a little girl crying with a little pink backpack on because she’s never going to see her father again.”This is at least the ninth fatal shooting at the hands of federal immigration officers since President Donald Trump began his mass deportation campaign. Since DHS’s official statement did not attempt to use the weaponized vehicle defense or claim the officer’s life was in danger, many critics questioned why the use of deadly force was necessary:ICE murdered a 26-year-old in front of his wife & daughter. It’s just pure evil.This statement makes clear there was no threat whatsoever. Our taxpayer dollars are funding a fascist murder machine. Abolish ICE, and prosecute anyone who carried out, ordered, or enabled crimes. https://t.co/CsGYTvzxnH— Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@RepYassAnsari) July 14, 2026Wow. Even DHS doesn't say the driver tried to hit their agents. They shot and killed a father in front of his wife and child simply because he drove away. https://t.co/5zddon3MTZ— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) July 13, 2026It appears that Trump‘s Department of Homeland Security just admitted to homicide in Maine. They literally just said that they shot the guy for fleeing the scene with a three year-old. Did they actually think this makes things better? https://t.co/QmWHdY7zyZ— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) July 13, 2026WHOA DHS does not say that the agent feared for his life… just the vague concern for “public safety.” So he killed him just because he did not want him in America, not because of any specific threat to agents? https://t.co/Ee3kYIQFrR— David J. Bier (@David_J_Bier) July 13, 2026You feared for your life because the vehicle drove away?So you shot a man in front of his 3 year old daughter?He wasn’t even the suspect!You fucking bootlicking cowards.The next administration should make sure you rot in a cell! https://t.co/pOP7LjF5Lu— Adam Cochran (adamscochran.eth) (@adamscochran) July 13, 2026EVEN DHS SAYS HE DIDNT TRY TO KILL THE FUCKING OFFICER. THEY KILLED ANOTHER MAN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT! https://t.co/hG677bsCZ9— Olivia Julianna 🇺🇸🦅🗳️ (@0liviajulianna) July 13, 2026RelatedMaineimmigration and customs enforcementHomeland SecurityDHSmarkwayne mullin