In California traffic stop, ICE agents shoot suspect wanted in El Salvador, officials say
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said agents shot a suspect on Tuesday morning during a traffic stop in Stanislaus County.
In a statement, ICE said its officers pulled over a vehicle in the Patterson area while attempting to arrest Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, whom the agency said is wanted in El Salvador in connection with a murder.
According to ICE officials, Hernandez attempted to run over an officer during the stop, prompting the agents to fire.
Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse said dispatchers received a report from ICE around 6:30 a.m. about an officer-involved shooting near Sperry Avenue and Interstate 5. Deputies responded, secured the scene and blocked off the roadway, while fire and medical crews were called in to assist.
Hernandez was taken to the hospital. No information has been released about his condition.
Dirkse confirmed no sheriff's deputies were involved in the shooting and none were injured. He added that because the incident involves federal agencies, the FBI, which also responded to the scene, is leading the investigation. The Stanislaus County District Attorney also responded to assist.
Eugene Wu, a special agent in charge of the FBI's Sacramento field office, said investigators are trying to determine what happened prior to the shooting, but it will take time.
Wu said late Tuesday afternoon that crews were still processing the scene for evidence, and he asked that any members of the public who may have footage or information contact his office.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said he's been briefed on the incident.
In their statement, ICE officials allege Hernandez is a member of the 18th Street gang – a gang U.S. officials say is affiliated with the Mexican Mafia and with a known presence in Los Angeles as well as Mexico.
However, Hernandez's immigration attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, said the family disputes those claims and believes agents may have targeted the wrong person.
"Carlos Ivan Hernandez is not the world's rarest name… He was on his way to a job. He rehabilitates burned-down buildings. He spends his time at home with a two-year-old girl," Kolasinski said.
Kolasinski said the family has been unable to see Hernandez at the hospital and is still seeking confirmation about his condition. As of earlier in the day, he said the family had been told Hernandez was stable.
"We're praying that he's safe. And nobody else was injured, thank God," Kolasinski said.
Kolasinski also pushed back on the circumstances described by federal authorities.
"Should you run from the cops? No… but that's not a capital offense. You should not be executed on the spot for trying to flee. He was not a danger," he said.
The exact location of the incident remains unclear, but all on- and off-ramps on Interstate 5 at Sperry Avenue near Patterson are expected to be closed for most of Tuesday.
A group of protesters gathered outside the hospital Tuesday evening in response to the shooting, calling for accountability as the investigation continues.
Up north in Sacramento, a protest in response to the shooting was planned to happen Tuesday evening at the federal building downtown.