Story
GEO Group Employee Charged With Felony Assault in Shooting of Colorado Protester
An employee of GEO Group, a private contractor that operates federal detention facilities, has been formally charged with felony assault in Colorado after allegedly shooting and wounding a protester outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center.
Details of the Incident
The District Attorney’s Office of the 17th Judicial District of Colorado announced Wednesday that Brandon Booth, 42, faces one count of first-degree assault and one count of attempted first-degree assault, both felonies. The charges stem from an incident last Thursday outside the GEO-operated facility in Aurora.
According to Aurora police, two protesters had a "verbal confrontation" with GEO employees who were waiting to enter the facility grounds. Authorities said Booth then exited his vehicle and fired a single shot from his personally-owned handgun, striking one of the women in the foot. Booth was arrested nearby a short time after leaving the scene.
Company and Legal Response
The charges carry significant legal consequences. A conviction for first-degree assault in Colorado is punishable by a prison sentence of 10 to 32 years, while attempted assault carries a sentence of five to 16 years, according to the prosecutor's office.
AdIn a statement, a GEO Group spokesperson said the individual was an "off-duty Aurora ICE Processing Center employee" at the time of the shooting. The company confirmed he has been placed on unpaid administrative leave and stated it will "fully cooperate with law enforcement."
Broader Context
The shooting occurs amid heightened tensions and scrutiny surrounding ICE operations and the private companies that manage its detention centers. Activist groups have frequently criticized facilities, including some managed by GEO, over detainee living conditions and access to medical care.
The incident in Aurora follows other recent fatal shootings involving federal immigration authorities. According to reports, ICE agents were involved in separate fatal shootings in Texas and Maine earlier this month, and two protesters were killed by immigration officials in Minneapolis in January.
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