A 26-year-old Colombian migrant was shot dead by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during an operation to execute a deportation order in the town of Bedford, Maine, in an incident that sparked calls for a full and transparent investigation amid growing criticism of the methods used to carry out the mass deportation campaign pursued by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Maine Attorney General's Office reported that an immigration officer was carrying out an operation related to a final deportation order when the targeted individual attempted to flee in his vehicle toward the officer, prompting the officer to open fire, inflicting fatal wounds. The office explained that the officer was placed on administrative leave in accordance with procedures for police-involved shootings.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that it had opened an investigation into the incident.

For his part, the FBI announced it had opened an investigation into the incident, while Maine Senator Angus King called for a "full, transparent and public" investigation, noting that the officers involved in the operation apparently were not equipped with body cameras.

Eyewitness Daniel Boucher said he heard several gunshots before seeing a small car being struck by a white SUV, adding that an immigration officer pulled the driver from his car while his face was covered in blood. He stated he heard the victim say, "I tried to stop," moments before his death.

In turn, the organizations "Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition" and "Presente Maine" confirmed that the victim was a 26-year-old Colombian migrant who held a work permit in the United States, stating that the case should not be reduced to just a number in immigration law enforcement statistics.

The incident site saw a security presence and a gathering of protesters against ICE, while Bedford Mayor Liam LaFountain called for clear answers to the local community and the victim's family regarding the circumstances of the incident.

The incident comes a week after a Mexican man was killed by an immigration officer in Texas, amid growing criticism of the agency for its violent methods and fatalities during its operations this year.