NEWS | Residents and others call for ‘more than just words’

During Tuesday’s special Biddeford City Council meeting, several residents and others expressed grief and anger and demanded measurable actions in response to the fatal shooting of a Biddeford resident on July 13

By RANDY SEAVER | Editor

Tuesday’s July 21 Biddeford City Council meeting was a somber and sometimes emotionally charged affair — the council’s first meeting since last week’s fatal shooting of Biddeford resident Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero

The special council meeting lasted nearly two hours and was held in the Little Theater auditorium at Biddeford High School. Roughly 160 members of the public attended the meeting — most of whom sat in silence and did not take the opportunity to share their comments before the council.

**MOMENT OF SILENCE** | Mayor Liam LaFountain began Tuesday’s meeting by asking the council and audience for a moment of silence to honor the death of Biddeford resident Johan Guerrero. (L-R) Councilors Abigail Woods, Patricia Boston, Roger Beaupre; Mayor Lia LaFountain and Councilors Dylan Doughty and David Kurtz. | *Seaver photo*

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Those who did speak shared a wide range of perspectives about the July 13 shooting, but several common themes emerged.

Many of the speakers demanded accountability for Guerrero’s death. Several residents also urged the council to create a permanent memorial; and even more said the city should be doing more to restrict activity by the Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) in Biddeford.

You may watch the entire meeting here | https://biddefordme.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4412/media

Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain opened the meeting with a call for a moment of silence.

The mayor then made some brief, personal remarks before reading his official proclamation into the public record.

LaFountain reminded the audience that Guerrero was a resident, no different than other residents who live in the same neighborhood where he and his wife were raising their daughter.

**BIDDEFORD MAYOR LIAM LAFOUNTAIN |** ‘We want two simple things: truth and justice.” | *Seaver photo*

“We are not here this evening to make a political point,” LaFountain said. “We’re here because Johan was a member of this community, our community.

“What we are asking for Johan we would ask for any person who died in this way on the streets of Biddeford – anyone; that’s what it means to be a community.

“We do not look away; we do not stay quiet,” LaFountain added.

The mayor told the audience that the city wants “two simple things.” Justice and truth.

“We are not here to make a political
point. We’re here because Johan
was a member of this community,
our community.“
— Mayor Liam LaFountain

The Community Speaks

While many residents expressed appreciation for the city’s ongoing leadership and resolve, others sharply criticized leaders for “not doing more.”

Kelsey Cummings, a small business owner who moved to Biddeford six years ago, said she is feeling overwhelmed by living in a community that seems consumed in chaos.

“It is just too much,” Cumming said, her voice and anger rising as she continually turned to look at the audience. Cummings raised several issues unrelated to the July 13 shooting as she criticized the council and other city officials for a wide variety of issues, including property taxes, a sewer upgrade project, a new mayor, the recent resignation of the city manager. “You are asking too much of us.”

**KELCEY CUMMINGS** said the city of Biddeford is “asking too much” from its residents”

Amy Kearns, however, told the council that she is proud of her community. “We are a community that stands together,” she said. “I am proud to call Biddeford home.”

Tobey Thorn of Presente! Maine, a migrant worker advocacy organization, told the council that the United States is witnessing a “platform of state-sanctioned violence.”

“ICE has no business in our communities,” Thorn said. “Stand with us with actions, not words.”

**A SOMBER AUDIENCE** listens as their neighbors express grief and outrage –while a summer rain could be heard pelting the auditorium’s roof | *Seaver photo*

Naoto Inoue, a Kennebunkport business owner, urged the council to consider constructing a permanent memorial.

“So many people came here to pay their respects, but the flowers left behind are wilting,” Inoue said. “We cannot let this story fade away.”

Kayla Lewis of Biddeford asked the council to seek ideas and opportunities for collaboration with other Maine communities that “look like Biddeford.”

“It is your turn to do something,” Lewis said. “Let’s not play coy. Let’s actually move to action.”

Alex Stokowski told the council that he was Johan’s neighbor. “The proclamation was a great start but it came too late.”

Alan Dutremble reminded the council and audience of a pivotal moment in Biddeford’s history when his grandfather – a Franco immigrant who was a Biddeford police officer – was gunned down and died on the city’s streets.

Dutremble blamed flawed federal policies and the Trump Administration for Johan’s death.

City councilors share their perspectives

Several councilors took an opportunity Tuesday to share their own thoughts about the shooting.

**CITY COUNCILOR ABIGAIL WOODS** | “ICE has been terrorizing our community for months now,”

Councilor Jake Pierson reminded the audience that the city council and city employees have been coping with a wide range of emotions while still providing consistent and reliable residential services during the last several days.

“No one should die because of their own or someone’s else immigration status, FULL STOP,” Pierson said.

“Our city did not shut down after Mr. Guerrero was killed,” he added. “Our city staff continued to show up and do their jobs. They processed car registrations, picked up waste, answered EMS calls, conducted traffic stops, gave out building permits, gave our children a safe place to spend the day in our summer camps, kept our parks pristine, and did the hundreds of other tasks that have to be done to keep a city running. For that, I am grateful for their dedication and hard work in the face of this unimaginable tragedy,” he said.

Councilor Abigail Woods said the July 13 shooting was not an isolated incident.

“ICE has been terrorizing our community for months now,” Woods said. “I am regretting not saying more.”

**COUNCILORS BRAD COTE & LISA VADNAIS** listen to public commentary during the July 21 meeting. | *Seaver photo*

“This is not a left or right moment,
but a right or wrong moment.”
— Councilor Brad Cote

Councilor David Kurtz struggled to maintain his composure during his remarks.

“Someone was executed by the federal government in our city,” he said.

Kurtz reminded the audience that he is Jewish, and talked about a pervasive sense of community fear. “If you don’t think Jews are talking about this, you are [expletive] crazy.”

Councilor Brad Cote urged the audience to step forward and become more engaged in the community.

“The loss of Mr. Guerrero’s life is an irreversible catastrophe,” Cote said. “It is normal to feel anger, sadness and frustration at such a needless loss of life.”

Cote told the audience that the council’s next steps are what is most important, urging the community to support Guerrero’s family and become more involved in the community.

“Remember, this is not a left or right moment, but a right or wrong moment,” Cote said. “Mr. Guerrero’s senseless death was wrong, and we need everybody in the community to step up to turn this into something right.”

. . .

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