The Colorado Attorney General's Office filed felony charges against an employee of GEO Group, the private company that runs the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center in Aurora, after he allegedly shot a protester during a protest outside the facility last week.

The defendant, Brandon Booth, 42, faces one count of first-degree assault and one count of attempted first-degree assault, both considered felonies under state law. According to the prosecution, Booth used a firearm he owned to shoot in the direction of two women who were participating in a demonstration against the federal government's immigration policies.

The incident occurred when a group of protesters were outside the detention center documenting with photographs the arrival of employees to the facilities. According to Aurora Police, a verbal confrontation occurred between participants and center workers before Booth got out of his vehicle and fired a shot.

The bullet hit Emma Landis, 22, who suffered a foot injury. After the incident, Booth left the scene in his car, but was located and arrested shortly after by authorities.

Prosecutor's Office files charges as investigation continues

Prosecutors reported that the crime of first-degree assault can be punished with sentences of between 10 and 32 years in prison, while the charge of attempted assault includes a sentence of between five and 16 years. During his first court appearance, Booth did not enter a plea regarding his guilt. The judge set bail at $100,000 and scheduled a new hearing for August 13.

Although the arrest affidavit prepared by Aurora Police included possible charges of attempted murder, serious threats and firearms offenses, the Prosecutor's Office chose not to file those charges at this stage of the process.

According to court documents cited by local media, Booth told investigators that his intention was only to scare away the protesters because, he claimed, they were preventing him from entering the processing center. He also admitted to the police that, upon realizing that he was being recorded, he realized that he had done “something stupid.”

The victims' versions differ from this story and maintain that the shot was directed at them while they were crossing the street after a series of verbal exchanges with employees of the center.

GEO suspends employee and criticism of Aurora center persists

Following the shooting, GEO Group confirmed that Booth was off duty when the incident occurred and announced his suspension without pay while investigations continue. “We are aware that an off-duty Aurora ICE Processing Center employee was involved in a shooting,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “This person has been suspended from duty without pay and we will fully cooperate with the authorities.”

Emma Landis, who continues to recover from the injury, returned days later to a protest in front of the same detention center, relying on crutches and with her leg bandaged. "We were on the sidewalk protesting, and they made fun of us and threatened us. And when we were crossing the street, that's when he shot me. I never thought something like this could happen," the young woman declared.

The case occurs in a context of increasing scrutiny over immigration detention centers run by private contractors and after other incidents related to ICE operations recorded this year.

Immigrant rights organizations continue to report alleged deficiencies in detention conditions, medical care and security within these facilities, including the Aurora center, which also recently faced questions after the confirmation of a case of tuberculosis.