Protest Outside ICE Facility Ends in Tragedy as Woman is Shot
DENVER — A woman was fatally shot following a protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Aurora on Thursday night. An employee of Geo Group, the private company that operates the facility, has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The Aurora Police Department reported that the shooting occurred after a confrontation between protesters and Brandon Booth, 42, the suspect in the case. Initial accounts indicate that the woman’s injuries are serious, though not necessarily fatal.
Aurora police were dispatched to the scene around 7:30 p.m. and discovered a woman who had been shot in the lower body. She was accompanied by another woman, who fortunately escaped unharmed.
Authorities apprehended Booth not far from the detention center, located in the 3100 block of Nome Street. According to police reports, Booth was unable to enter the facility due to the protest. The two women reportedly took photographs of employees’ vehicles, which led to a verbal altercation before they departed.
In an alarming turn of events, Booth reportedly drew his personal firearm and fired a shot at the women, striking one of them. Following the incident, he fled the scene in his vehicle.
A spokesperson for the GEO Group confirmed the involvement of an off-duty Aurora ICE Processing Center employee in the shooting incident, noting that Booth has been placed on unpaid administrative leave and will fully cooperate with law enforcement.
Booth faces multiple charges, including attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and felony menacing, among others. Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that the department is committed to a transparent investigation: “Violence of any kind will not be tolerated in Aurora,” he affirmed.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear, though some politicians quickly drew connections to a string of shootings by ICE agents during protests nationwide. Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper expressed his concern, asserting that “everyone has the right to peacefully protest without fear of violence.”
Booth’s legal history includes multiple traffic-related offenses, including past convictions for driving under the influence. On a larger public health note, it has been reported that at least one detainee at the facility contracted tuberculosis, raising additional concerns among local authorities.
The GEO facility on Nome Street remained quiet on Friday, with volunteers from Casa de Paz distributing refreshments to families awaiting immigration screenings. Although the facility was on lockdown, regular arrivals and departures continued as usual.
Reporting from CPR’s Ben Markus and Allison Sherry contributed to this article.
