U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday defended an operation near an Oakland elementary school, which led to a crash, saying its agents were targeting a criminal suspect fleeing arrest.

Oaklanders gathered in a show of solidarity outside Hoover Elementary School on Wednesday in response to the ICE operation. The Oakland Unified School District said that ICE agents were initially seen at the intersection of 31st and Market Street, about two blocks south of the school.

“I’m even happier that we have this kind of turnout when we know ICE is on scene to kidnap and detain people,” said Councilmember Carroll Fife, Oakland District 3, who joined the gathering. “These are everyday working people just trying to do the best for the families. This is not illegal activity that’s happening over here.”

The Oakland Police Department told CBS News Bay Area that an outside law enforcement agency tried to pull over a man in a car before that man ended up crashing into another car. The department and Fife both said they were not alerted to any ICE operations taking place in Oakland on Wednesday.

Fife said that the man was a grandfather dropping off a child at school, and he panicked when he noticed he was being followed.

On Thursday, a DHS spokesperson issued a statement saying ICE agents were not targeting Hoover Elementary School, nor did they enter school grounds, but were targeting an individual the spokesperson characterized as “a criminal illegal alien.”

“This serial criminal’s rap sheet includes multiple arrests for battery of a spouse, domestic battery by strangulation, coerce with threat of force, driving on suspended license, multiple DUIs, and possession of a controlled substance,” the statement said.  

The statement added that the fleeing suspect, who DHS identified as Gonzalo Ramirez Martez, turned onto the street where the school is located at a high rate of speed, and after colliding with another vehicle, he fled on foot and remained at large. 

Some Oakland residents were outraged when they heard about what happened.

“It really struck a nerve that kids were unsafe, and the families of kids were unsafe coming to do a normal routine day,” said Red B., an Oakland resident. “It should be a safe space for everybody, and there should be no enforcement. At least in this area.”

Oakland is a sanctuary city and has vowed to stand up for its immigrant community. 

Fife said she would like to see immigration policy reform instead of raids and threats of deportation.

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