Protest Shooting Arrest
ICE Center Employee Arrested, Charged After Firing Shot at Protesters, Injuring One
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Key Points
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Two women confronted GEO Group employees outside the Aurora ICE Processing Center, verbally taunting them and photographing their vehicles before walking away; Booth then retrieved his personally owned handgun and fired a single shot toward the protesters, injuring one woman with non-life-threatening injuries.
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Booth was detained less than two blocks from the shooting scene, and authorities recovered a firearm from his vehicle; the vehicle containing the gun was seized.
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The shooting victim was a woman who had been participating in an anti-ICE protest; her identity has not been publicly released.
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Brandon Booth is identified in reports as a 42-year-old GEO Group employee.
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The incident occurred amid heightened scrutiny of DHS actions after two fatal immigrant-related shootings in the prior two weeks.
A GEO Group employee at the Aurora ICE Processing Center in Colorado was arrested after allegedly firing a single shot at protesters outside the facility, injuring one woman. Brandon Booth, 42, faces charges including attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault, according to Colorado News Line.
The injured woman was participating in an anti-ICE protest and was hit in the lower body. Her injuries are not life-threatening. Authorities called the incident "a tragedy" and pledged a thorough and transparent investigation.
How a Blocked Driveway Ended in Gunfire
Protesters had gathered outside the Aurora ICE Processing Center, blocking access to the facility. Two women approached GEO Group employees waiting to enter. They verbally taunted the workers and photographed their vehicles, according to Colorado News Line. The women then walked away.
That's when Booth allegedly retrieved a personally owned handgun from his vehicle and fired one shot toward the protesters. He was off duty at the time. He then fled the scene but was detained less than two blocks away. Police recovered a firearm from his vehicle and seized the car, Common Dreams reported.
Booth Faces Five Separate Criminal Charges
Booth was arrested on suspicion of five offenses: attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, attempted first-degree assault, felony menacing, and unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon. The charges reflect both the shot that hit the victim and the threat posed to others nearby, according to Raw Story.
The Gateway Pundit noted that Booth is 42 years old and works at the detention center run by GEO Group, a private prison company. His identity was confirmed by police after he was detained near the scene. No other arrests were made in connection with the incident.
GEO Group Places Booth on Unpaid Leave
GEO Group confirmed that Booth is an employee at the Aurora ICE Processing Center. The company placed him on unpaid administrative leave after the shooting. GEO Group said it will fully cooperate with law enforcement, according to Colorado News Line.
GEO Group operates the detention center as a private contractor for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The company did not comment further on Booth's role or how long he had worked at the facility.
Shooting Comes Amid Wave of Immigration-Related Violence
The Aurora shooting did not happen in a vacuum. It follows two fatal shootings tied to immigration enforcement in the prior two weeks, according to Raw Story. That string of incidents has put the Department of Homeland Security under heavy scrutiny from lawmakers and civil rights groups.
Anti-ICE protests have been ongoing outside the Aurora facility for some time. The center has been a flashpoint for demonstrations over federal immigration policy. Common Dreams reported that tensions have been rising steadily, making Saturday's shooting a stark escalation of an already charged situation.
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