BRIGHTON, Colo. — Prosecutors in Adams County have charged the GEO Group employee accused of shooting at protesters outside the ICE detention center in Aurora last week with assault.
The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that DA Brian Mason had charged 42-year-old Brandon Booth with one count each for first-degree assault and attempted first-degree assault in the shooting of 21-year-old Emma Landis and another protester.
Booth was facing several felony charges in connection with the shooting, including two counts of second-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault, one count of unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon, and two counts of felony menacing.
Landis and the other protester confronted Booth and had reportedly photographed him and his vehicle before engaging in a verbal dispute about his work with the facility. They also reportedly told him they could find out where his kids went to school, given they had pictures of his face and his vehicle’s license plate number, arresting documents show.
Though the protesters never made statements about harming him or his family, Booth told police he perceived the remarks as a threat against his children, which “caused his anger level to reach ‘a 15 out of 10” before he fired a single shot at the two women, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Denver7 Tuesday.
Booth told investigators his intent was never to injure the protesters, but to scare them.
The suspect, who immediately try to flee after realizing he had “done some dumb s—t," later told police he had never worked as armed security before and had never received formal weapons training before firing the pistol he used the day of the shooting, the affidavit states.
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Protests have continued outside the Aurora ICE detention center, with most protesters calling out the treatment of immigrant detainees at the facility.
In response to these protests, a GEO Group spokesperson has previously said they are committed to the safety and care of detainees and complies with federal detention standards.
ICE, too, has previously defended its treatment of detainees at the Aurora facility, telling The Denver Post it spends millions annually on health care services.