U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernández during a traffic stop on a highway in Patterson, California, after they say he attempted to ram officers with his vehicle, according to ICE statements reported by The Straits Times and The Independent. The 36-year-old was hospitalized and underwent surgery following the shooting, with reports confirming he required three separate surgeries, as detailed by The Independent.
Mendoza Hernández's attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, disputes ICE’s account, asserting that his client did not try to run over the officers and denying claims that Mendoza Hernández is affiliated with any gang or has an outstanding arrest warrant in El Salvador, as reported by The Guardian and The Independent. The lawyer also challenged the justification for the use of force in the incident.
The shooting took place roughly 80 miles east of San Jose in California’s Central Valley, with ICE agents conducting the stop in Patterson, a detail confirmed by The Guardian. The circumstances around the shooting have prompted scrutiny over ICE’s use of force protocols and the accuracy of the allegations made against Mendoza Hernández.
The FBI has launched an investigation into the shooting to examine the sequence of events and assess the actions taken by ICE during the arrest, according to reporting from Lopez Doriga Digital. The inquiry will evaluate whether the use of deadly force was warranted and investigate allegations of misconduct.
Observers and community leaders are closely monitoring the outcome of the FBI investigation, which will have implications for ICE’s operational procedures and transparency moving forward. Pending findings may influence future policy and enforcement tactics involving ICE agents nationwide.
Patterson
Patrick Kolasinski
California
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ICE
Todd Lyons
El Salvador
Anthony Hernandez
