The Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who fatally shot a Colombian man in Maine this week had a reported history of psychiatric struggles, domestic violence allegations and threatening behaviour, several close relatives told The Associated Press.
Family members identified the officer as 37-year-old David Brouillette, an Army veteran with nearly a decade of federal law enforcement experience. They questioned how he was approved to carry a badge and firearm while working for ICE.
Colombian Man Killed During Immigration Operation
Brouillette allegedly shot and killed 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national, on Monday while he was inside a vehicle near his home in Biddeford, Maine.
The Department of Homeland Security has not publicly named the officer. It said the vehicle attempted to leave the scene and that an officer fired after becoming concerned about public safety.
Three relatives who spoke with Brouillette after the shooting said he claimed he acted in self-defence because the vehicle was attempting to run him over.
Durán Guerrero is among at least 10 people who have reportedly died during encounters with immigration officers since President Donald Trump resumed his immigration crackdown after returning to office.
ICE Defends Officer’s Training
ICE spokesperson Lauren Bis declined to confirm Brouillette’s identity, saying the agency would not assist attempts to publicly identify its law enforcement officers.
Bis said the officer involved had almost 10 years of federal law enforcement experience and had completed required training, including instruction on the use of force.
The White House referred questions about the officer and the shooting to ICE.
Former Wives Describe Alleged Abuse
Brouillette’s first former wife, Ashley Brouillette, said she initially did not believe him when he told her in late 2025 that he had joined ICE because of his history of psychiatric problems.
She said she learned he was involved in the shooting after videos circulated online. During a later phone conversation, Brouillette allegedly acknowledged killing Durán Guerrero.
Ashley said they married in 2007 and divorced in 2009 after he became physically violent. She alleged that he once threw boiling water at her while she was holding their daughter.
A review of family court records also revealed years of allegations made by Brouillette’s second former wife, including claims that he stalked and harassed her and physically and verbally abused his children.
In a 2021 request for a protective order, which a judge granted, she wrote that Brouillette required counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
Brouillette denied wrongdoing in court filings and accused his former wife of making false statements about him.
Daughter Recalls Father’s Emotional Struggles
Brouillette’s eldest daughter, Madison, told the AP that she witnessed her father’s emotional instability.
She recalled returning home from school on one occasion and being told that he had been sitting outside with a gun pointed at his head.
Madison said her father struggled with several problems but repeatedly refused to seek meaningful help.
An immediate relative said Brouillette had been diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder during childhood. The relative alleged that he attempted suicide twice at age 12 and experienced several hospitalizations.
The family member said they later ended contact with him because they feared for their own safety.
Military Career Included Afghanistan Deployment
Brouillette grew up in Gardiner, Maine, and developed an early interest in policing and the military.
According to relatives, military recruiters initially rejected him because of his psychiatric history. One relative alleged that he was advised to stop taking medication for a year before applying again.
Military records show he joined the Maine Army National Guard in November 2007. He later entered the regular Army in January 2010 as a human intelligence collector.
Brouillette served in Afghanistan from May 2012 until February 2013 and left the Army as a sergeant in December 2015.
One relative believes his military deployment worsened his existing emotional difficulties.
Employment After Leaving the Army
Following his military service, Brouillette worked in several government, public-safety and law enforcement-related positions.
His previous jobs included employment with the Maine Correctional Center, the state Department of Health and Human Services and a Department of Veterans Affairs medical centre.
He later enrolled in a firefighting program but suffered a concussion after being struck by a steel beam during training. A lawsuit said he experienced memory problems, headaches, vertigo, cognitive difficulties and sensitivity to light.
The case was settled outside court, and Brouillette did not complete the firefighting course.
Court records later indicated that he received disability payments through Veterans Affairs. He also worked as a truck driver, delivered food and briefly held an active real estate sales licence in 2025.
Threatening Voicemail Shared With AP
Ashley Brouillette said her former husband left her a three-minute voicemail around the time he joined ICE in late 2025.
In the recording shared with the AP, he insulted her and said that she and other women in her family deserved to have their throats cut. He denied that he personally intended to carry out the violence.
Ashley said she ended contact with him until his photograph began appearing online following the Biddeford shooting.
During their conversation after Durán Guerrero’s death, she said Brouillette asked her to describe him publicly as a good person and avoid discussing the alleged abuse because his reputation was at risk.
He reportedly told both Ashley and Madison that the shooting was justified and that he had acted to protect himself.
Questions Raised About ICE Hiring Practices
The allegations surrounding Brouillette have renewed concerns about how thoroughly the Department of Homeland Security screens officers during periods of rapid recruitment.
Relatives argue that his reported history of violent behaviour, psychiatric difficulties, threatening statements and family protection orders should have raised serious concerns before he was authorized to conduct armed immigration operations.
No criminal record for Brouillette was found through the Maine Department of Public Safety. However, family court records document multiple allegations involving his former partners and children.
The fatal shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero remains under scrutiny as questions grow about David Brouillette’s background and ICE’s hiring procedures.
Brouillette reportedly maintains that he fired in self-defence, while relatives have described a lengthy history of instability, alleged abuse and threatening behaviour. Authorities have not yet released a complete account of the shooting or publicly identified the officer involved.