Federal immigration enforcement agents opened fire on a suspect in California Tuesday following what officials describe as an attempt to strike officers with a vehicle, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement leadership.
The wounded individual was transported to a medical facility for treatment, while FBI investigators responded to the scene, stated ICE Director Todd Lyons in an official announcement.
“As officers approached the car, the wanted gang member weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over. Following their training, our officers fired defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and the public,” Lyons said.
According to ICE officials, the suspect is a gang member from El Salvador who was residing in the United States without legal status and was being sought for questioning related to a murder investigation.
The shooting occurred in Patterson, an agricultural community home to 25,000 residents located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, approximately 90 miles southeast of San Francisco. Reuters reported it could not independently confirm ICE’s account of the events.
Federal data from the Department of Homeland Security indicates ICE personnel faced 66 vehicle-related attacks during the first year of President Donald Trump’s current administration, a significant increase from just two similar incidents recorded in the prior year.
