Biddeford Residents Push for Permanent Memorial Honoring Man Killed by ICE Agent

BIDDEFORD, Maine — More than a month after Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero was fatally shot by a federal immigration agent, some residents are calling on city leaders to create a permanent memorial that would preserve his memory for years to come.

The topic took center stage at Tuesday night's City Council meeting, where community members packed the chamber to voice their hopes for a lasting tribute at the site where the 26-year-old was killed.

"The time for the temporary memorial has come to an end," said Council President Roger Beaupre, who served as Biddeford's police chief for more than four decades before joining the council. "Mechanics Park is a shared community space. We have to look at the fact that it's a public park and should be a welcoming spot for everyone."

Beaupre also argued that the city needs an ordinance governing how temporary and permanent memorials are handled going forward.

The shooting occurred July 13 at the corner of Hill and Pool streets. Within days, a makeshift memorial of flowers, candles, and handwritten notes sprang up at that intersection. A second memorial appeared at Mechanics Park, which has since served as the site of multiple rallies protesting Guerrero's death.

Robert Cabeca, who lives near Hill and Pool streets, was home the morning of the shooting. He heard the gunshots.

"They still echo in my mind sometimes," Cabeca told the council.

Since then, Cabeca has become a regular visitor to the memorial near his home, helping neighbors keep the candles lit and flowers fresh. While he values the makeshift tribute, he believes a permanent memorial chosen by Guerrero's family would carry deeper meaning.

"Honoring a life and memorializing a death are two different things," Cabeca said. "They carry different energy, and they mean something different to the family. Whatever form the memorial takes, I hope it resembles the heart of the city."

Resident Kelsey Cummings also urged the council to take action.

"We live in Maine. We get snow. It's not gonna last," Cummings said of the temporary memorial at Hill and Pool streets. "So let's do a permanent memorial, and let's do it together."

Evan Lockwood, who spoke at a previous council meeting focused on the city's response to the shooting, criticized Beaupre directly Tuesday.

"You had nothing to say at that council meeting? That's sad. Really, it's sad," Lockwood said. "Say something. Feel something. The people are feeling, and they're hurt."

Mayor Liam LaFountain said Guerrero's family has been deeply moved by the outpouring of support from the Biddeford community.

"They've expressed heartfelt appreciation for the vigils and messages, and the many acts of kindness that their family and representatives have experienced," LaFountain said.

However, the mayor clarified that the family has not yet requested a permanent memorial, though that could change. The family has also asked that any messages left at the Hill and Pool streets memorial be preserved and that no organizations or businesses raise money in Guerrero's name without explicit permission.

LaFountain said city officials will consult with Biddeford's Public Art Commission to help guide decisions about remembrance and public art related to the shooting, and that future work will include documenting and preserving the messages left at the temporary memorials.

The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, with federal immigration authorities handling the review of their own agent's conduct.