An employee of a private contractor operating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Colorado has been arrested after shooting and wounding a woman on Thursday evening. According to the Aurora Police Department, the incident occurred following a protest held in front of the facility earlier that day.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered the victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the lower body. Her companion was present at the scene but remained unharmed.
Authorities intercepted a man in a vehicle near the incident site. The suspect was identified as 42-year-old Brandon Booth, an employee of Geo Group. Police subsequently seized his vehicle and firearm.
“We are aware that an off-duty Aurora ICE Processing Center employee was involved in a shooting incident,” a Geo Group spokesperson stated via email. “This individual has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, and we will fully cooperate with law enforcement.”
Geo Group is a multi-billion dollar corporation that manages an extensive network of private immigration detention centers and state prisons throughout the United States. The company maintains significant government ties through numerous multi-year contracts with the Department of Homeland Security for detention facilities, transportation, and immigrant-tracking programs. Notably, former Geo Group executive David Venturella was recently named as the acting director of ICE.
The Geo Group facility in Aurora has been a frequent target for protests in Colorado. Immigrant rights advocates have previously raised concerns regarding the mistreatment of detainees, including inadequate food supplies and inconsistent access to air conditioning. Additionally, the facility recently reported a tuberculosis outbreak involving at least 12 detainees.
Police reports indicate that on the evening of the shooting, protesters had blocked the facility’s entrance, causing employees, including Booth, to wait in their vehicles. According to investigators, two women engaged in a verbal confrontation and were taking photographs of the employees’ vehicles before walking away.
Police allege that Booth then retrieved a pistol and fired a single shot at the women, striking one of them before fleeing the scene. Booth was subsequently arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, attempted first-degree assault, felony menacing, and unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon.
The victim was transported to a hospital for medical treatment; her injuries are currently reported to be non-life-threatening.
“This is a tragedy on all fronts,” said Aurora Chief of Police Todd Chamberlain. “We remain committed to ensuring an ethical, thorough, objective, and comprehensive review of this case. Violence of any kind will not be tolerated in Aurora. Constitutional rights are a pivotal part of a just society – violence is not.”
