Key facts
- ICE officer David Brouillette shot and killed Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine.
- Relatives and court records indicate Brouillette has a history of violent behavior and mental health issues.
- Allegations include physical and verbal abuse against his ex-wives and daughters.
- Brouillette was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADD as a child and had attempted suicide.
- ICE stated the officer has nearly a decade of federal law enforcement experience and required training.
- ICE and the White House declined to comment extensively on the matter.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who fatally shot a Colombian man in Maine this week, David Brouillette, has a documented history of violent behavior and significant mental health struggles, according to his relatives and court records obtained by The Associated Press. Relatives described Brouillette as having a terrifying and violent past, including allegations of attacking women and a voicemail threatening to slit a relative's throat. His ex-wife, Ashley Brouillette, stated that his violence began after she became pregnant with their daughter and that he once threw boiling water at her while she held their child. Family court records detail years of abuse allegations from his second ex-wife, who sought protection orders, citing stalking, harassment, and physical and verbal abuse of their daughters. One daughter reportedly witnessed him with a gun to his head and described his volatility. A relative confirmed Brouillette was diagnosed with manic bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder as a child, attempted suicide twice at age 12, and was hospitalized multiple times.
Brouillette, a 37-year-old Army veteran, was hired by ICE last year amid a hiring surge by the Department of Homeland Security to implement President Donald Trump's immigration policies. His ex-wife and daughter confirmed he told them he had been hired by ICE and subsequently shot and killed 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero on Monday in Biddeford. ICE stated that the vehicle Durán Guerrero was in attempted to flee the scene, and fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon. ICE spokesperson Lauren Bis stated the officer has nearly a decade of federal law enforcement experience and required training, but declined to comment further, citing concerns about doxing officers. The White House referred all questions to ICE. Brouillette's relatives expressed concern that he should not have been given a badge and gun given his history.