Ex-wives of ICE agent claim hiring oversights contributed to fatal Maine shooting
Two former spouses of ICE officer David Brouillette say his history of violence was not disclosed during his hiring, and that better vetting could have prevented the July 13 shooting that killed a Colombian immigrant in Maine.
Two of the three former wives of David Brouillette, a 37-year-old ICE officer who shot and killed 25-year-old Colombian immigrant Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during a traffic stop in Biddeford, Maine, said the agency failed to investigate his past before granting him a badge and a firearm. Ashley Brouillette, who divorced him 17 years ago, told reporters that ICE background investigators never contacted her despite her long-standing concerns about his violent tendencies. She said she had warned friends that he might hurt someone and that he had repeatedly sent her threatening messages.
"For years, I told people he was going to hurt somebody," she said.
Lucinda Brouillette, his second ex-wife, also described a pattern of aggression, intimidation and abuse during their marriage and after their separation. She is seeking a protective order and temporary sole custody of their 11-year-old daughter, citing incidents that include physical violence, threats and the distribution of intimate videos.
"Throughout our marriage and in the years that followed, I have feared for a long time that his anger, aggression, and escalating behavior would eventually result in severe, life-threatening violence," she wrote.
Court records obtained by local media show that Lucinda had previously accused Brouillette of kicking down her door and of falsely alleging substance-use problems to undermine her credibility. She said law-enforcement and social-service agencies did not act on her warnings.
ICE declined to comment on the shooting or the hiring process, stating that it does not confirm or deny attempts to identify individual officers.
The incident occurred after ICE accelerated its recruitment following the 2025 administration’s pledge to expand the agency’s workforce. An Associated Press investigation reported that the rapid hiring lowered age and education requirements and led to the recruitment of candidates with questionable backgrounds, including former law-enforcement officers with disciplinary issues.
Brouillette’s employment history includes stints as a Department of Veterans Affairs police officer, a correctional officer, and brief training as a firefighter before a workplace injury caused lasting health effects. He has also worked as a truck driver and real-estate agent. Family members say he was diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder as a child and attempted suicide twice at age 12.
On July 13, Brouillette opened fire into a vehicle during a traffic stop, killing Durán, who had legal status in the United States. ICE officials later said the vehicle attempted to flee, prompting the officer to fire.
"It was really scary, in a way," Ashley Brouillette said, adding that she wishes she had pushed harder to raise concerns earlier.
The ex-wives’ statements highlight ongoing questions about ICE’s vetting procedures amid rapid expansion of its personnel.