An employee of the GEO Group, which operates a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment center in Aurora, Colorado, was arrested for allegedly shooting a woman on Thursday night. The incident occurred near the Aurora ICE Processing Center at 3130 Oakland Street.
Brandon Booth Arrested
Brandon Booth, aged 42, has been charged with assault and attempted second-degree murder. Police apprehended him in a vehicle on Nome Street, two blocks from the site of the shooting. Authorities found a gun inside the vehicle. Booth is an employee of GEO Group, according to the Aurora Police Department.
Incident Details
The police described the victim as a protester. Various groups have staged protests outside the facility throughout the year. It is unclear which group the protester belonged to. Aurora police indicated the situation escalated when Booth waited in his vehicle with other employees who couldn’t access the facility because of the protest. The police reported, “Two women initiated a verbal confrontation and took pictures of the employees’ vehicles before walking away. Booth then retrieved his personal pistol and shot in their direction, hitting one of the women.” After the shooting, Booth left the area but was later detained.
Victim’s Condition and GEO Group’s Response
The woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries to the lower part of her body. Her identity has not been disclosed. A GEO Group spokesperson stated that Booth has been placed on unpaid administrative leave and confirmed the company’s cooperation with law enforcement. CBS Colorado has requested comments from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of ICE.
Comments from Authorities
Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain labeled the incident a “tragedy on all fronts.” Chamberlain emphasized that the department would conduct a thorough, transparent investigation and reiterated that violence is unacceptable in Aurora. He added, “Constitutional rights are a pivotal part of a just society – violence is not.”
Call for Information
Authorities are appealing for anyone with footage of the shooting or information relevant to the case to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867).
Context of Recent Incidents
The shooting in Aurora follows two fatal incidents involving ICE officers. On July 7, an ICE officer killed a 52-year-old Mexican man in Houston, Texas, as he drove a work crew to a construction site. ICE later clarified that the man was not the target of their operation. On July 13, a 25-year-old Colombian man was shot in Biddeford, Maine, during another ICE surveillance operation. Following these incidents, DHS briefly paused most ICE traffic stops, though President Trump overturned the pause on Wednesday.