Key facts
- Brandon Booth, 42, an employee of GEO Group, was charged with first-degree assault and attempted assault.
- The charges stem from the shooting of a 22-year-old woman protesting outside a GEO-operated ICE processing center in Aurora, Colorado.
- The incident occurred after protesters engaged in a verbal confrontation with GEO employees and took pictures of their vehicles.
- Booth allegedly fired a single shot from his handgun, striking one of the women in the foot.
- Booth was arrested nearby after leaving the scene.
- GEO Group confirmed Booth's involvement and stated he has been placed on unpaid administrative leave.
A worker for GEO Group, a company that operates U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities, has been charged with assault following the shooting of a protester outside a center in Aurora, Colorado. Brandon Booth, 42, allegedly fired a handgun at two women who were demonstrating and taking pictures of employees' vehicles. One woman was struck in the foot.
According to Aurora police, the protesters initiated a verbal confrontation with GEO employees before Booth, who was waiting to enter the facility, discharged his weapon. Booth left the scene but was apprehended by police shortly after. He faces charges of first-degree assault and attempted assault in the first degree, both felonies carrying significant prison sentences.
A spokesperson for GEO Group confirmed the incident involved an off-duty employee and stated that Booth has been placed on unpaid administrative leave. The company pledged full cooperation with law enforcement.
The incident occurred amid ongoing criticism of ICE detention centers by migrant rights advocates and follows other recent fatal shootings involving ICE agents and protesters in different states.