A detention facility contractor in Aurora, Colorado, was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of attempted murder after shooting a woman during a protest-related encounter.
Brandon Booth, 42, faces charges including attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon. He is employed by GEO Group, the private contractor operating the Aurora ICE Processing Center.
The incident occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. on July 16 in the 3100 block of North Nome Street. Responding officers found two women, one of whom had suffered a gunshot wound to her lower body.
Investigators said the women had been part of a protest near the detention facility earlier that evening. Booth and other employees were waiting in their vehicles because demonstrators had blocked access to the site for work shifts.
Authorities stated the two women initiated a verbal confrontation and photographed employees' vehicles before walking away. Booth then retrieved a personally owned pistol and fired a single shot toward them.
The bullet struck one woman in her lower body. Booth entered his vehicle and left the area before being stopped by officers a short distance away.
The injured woman was transported to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. The second woman was unharmed.
Detectives from the Violent Crimes Section processed the scene and seized the vehicle containing the firearm. Booth was booked on probable cause for multiple felony offenses.
The Aurora police chief called the event a tragedy and affirmed the department's commitment to a transparent, objective investigation. He emphasized that violence will not be tolerated and that constitutional rights must be protected through lawful means.
Formal charging decisions will be handled by the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office. The case remains under active investigation.
