Employee of Aurora ICE Processing Center arrested, accused of shooting Colorado protester
Key Points:
- Brandon Booth, a 42-year-old employee of the GEO Group operating the Aurora ICE Processing Center in Colorado, was arrested for shooting and wounding a female protester near the facility on Thursday evening; he faces charges of assault and attempted second-degree murder.
- The shooting occurred after a verbal confrontation when two women took pictures of employees' vehicles during a protest blocking access to the facility; Booth fired one shot, striking a woman in the lower body with non-life-threatening injuries.
- GEO Group placed Booth on unpaid administrative leave and pledged full cooperation with law enforcement, while Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain emphasized a thorough, transparent investigation and condemned violence.
- Community advocates expressed concern about the incident, questioning the hiring and management practices at the detention center, especially amid ongoing protests and prior health issues at the facility.
- This shooting follows two recent deadly incidents involving ICE officers in Texas and Maine, both involving mistaken targets during enforcement operations, highlighting ongoing tensions and scrutiny of ICE activities.