An employee of a private immigration detention center in Colorado fired a shot at a woman outside the facility Thursday evening, striking her in the lower body after she participated in a demonstration earlier that day. The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended shortly after by Aurora police.
Brandon Booth, 42, works for Geo Group, the company operating the Aurora ICE Processing Center. Officers found him in a vehicle near the shooting location, seized his gun and arrested him on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, attempted first-degree assault, felony menacing and unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon.
The injured woman was taken to a hospital and treated for wounds that police say are not life-threatening. She had been with a companion at the time, who was unharmed.
According to police, protesters had blocked the entrance to the facility that evening, forcing employees including Booth to wait in their vehicles. Officers said the two women initiated a verbal confrontation with the workers, took photos of their cars and then walked away. Booth then retrieved his pistol and fired once, striking one of the women before driving off.
Geo Group released a statement saying it was aware of the incident and had placed Booth on unpaid administrative leave. The company said it would cooperate fully with law enforcement.
The Aurora facility has faced mounting scrutiny from immigrant advocates. Detainees have complained about inadequate food, lack of air conditioning and mistreatment, according to those groups. Earlier this week, the center reported a tuberculosis outbreak affecting at least 12 detainees.
Geo Group operates a network of private immigration detention centers and prisons across the country with a portfolio valued at roughly $4 billion. The company maintains extensive contracts with the Department of Homeland Security for detention facilities, transportation and immigrant-tracking services. The company's influence extends to the federal level: in June, former Geo Group executive David Venturella was named acting director of ICE.
Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain called the shooting "a tragedy on all fronts" and pledged a thorough investigation. He emphasized the department's commitment to protecting constitutional rights and said violence would not be tolerated in the city.
Author James Rodriguez: "A shooting outside an ICE facility by a detention center worker raises hard questions about who holds power at these sites and what happens when anger boils over into violence."
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