ICE Contractor Accused of Shooting Protester and Fleeing Scene

An employee of the company that operates an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Colorado has been arrested after allegedly shooting a woman and fleeing the scene on Thursday. Brandon Booth, 42, was pulled over near the GEO Group’s Aurora ICE Processing Center, where the woman was found with a gunshot wound to her lower body. She had attended a protest outside the facility earlier that day. Authorities said Booth, who works for GEO Group—one of the nation’s largest private prison operators—had a gun inside his vehicle. A company spokesperson told The Guardian that Booth had been placed on unpaid administrative leave following his arrest and that GEO Group would “fully cooperate with law enforcement.” Police said the woman and Booth became involved in a “verbal confrontation” before he allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot her, then drove away. She was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Booth faces charges including attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, felony menacing, and unlawful possession of a concealed weapon. The Aurora ICE facility has become a frequent target of protests, as advocates allege detainees have been mistreated inside the center. The facility also reported a tuberculosis outbreak this week, with at least 12 detainees becoming sick.

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