The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who fatally shot a Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine, this week had a long record of alleged violent behavior and serious mental health struggles, according to relatives and court documents
Family members identified the officer as 37-year-old , an Army veteran now working for ICE, though the agency has not formally released his name
He is under investigation after the shooting of 25-year-old Joan Sebastian Duran Guerrero near the victim’s home on Monday during what authorities described as an immigration enforcement operation
Officials say the Maine Attorney General’s Office and federal authorities are reviewing the incident, but no charges have been announced
Relatives told reporters Brouillette had documented mental health diagnoses since childhood, including bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder, and underwent multiple psychiatric hospitalizations as a minor
They said he attempted suicide before adulthood and continued to struggle with anger and emotional instability, raising questions about how he was later cleared to carry a firearm in military and law enforcement roles
Family court records from Augusta District Court, cited by the Associated Press, show years of allegations of physical and verbal abuse from one ex-wife, including claims of domestic violence and threats
Brouillette’s first ex-wife, Ashley Brouillette, told reporters she divorced him after repeated physical abuse and had previously warned military officials about his mental health problems, but believes her concerns were ignored, Nebraska reported
Another relative shared a voicemail in which Brouillette allegedly said someone should slit her throat, describing his behavior as terrifying and escalating
Military records indicate Brouillette served in the Maine Army National Guard and later in the U.S. Army, deploying to Afghanistan before leaving service as a sergeant
Relatives said they believe combat stress worsened his existing mental health conditions, though no official finding has linked his service to the current case
Members of Congress have now demanded answers from the Department of Homeland Security about vetting and training for ICE officers, citing the reports about Brouillette’s past and calling for a full review of how he was hired and armed, as per PBS
Read more:Do ICE Courthouse Arrests Raise Fourth Amendment Concerns? Constitutional Questions Intensify
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Shooting, Immigration
