FBI agents at the site of the shooting in CA, screenshot via CBS News’ KOVR-TV
A man is now hospitalized in critical condition after a shooting incident involving ICE agents in California.
The shooting occurred on Tuesday morning around 11 a.m. during a targeted vehicle stop in Patterson, CA.
According to ICE director Todd M. Lyons, ICE agents were reportedly seeking to arrest Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, an alleged undocumented immigrant and gang member wanted for questioning in a murder investigation in El Salvador.
Mendoza Hernandez allegedly “weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over,” which led ICE officers to fire “defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents and the public,” per Lyons’ statement, shared by The Washington Post.
The FBI has confirmed it is “in the early stages” of its investigation of the incident.
“We are conducting a thorough investigation in partnership with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and are grateful for the Patterson community’s continued patience and support,” the FBI said.
Dash cam footage from a witness vehicle has been released. In it, a hatchback can be seen surrounded by three ICE agents. The vehicle suddenly reverses with the passenger door wide open, slamming into the truck behind it and nearly severing off the passenger door.
As the hatchback attempts to pivot, officers seem to pull their weapons and surround the vehicle, which turns around and accelerates toward the median as one officer who had previously been positioned behind the vehicle rushes out of its path.
From the video, for which audio, if available, has not yet been released, it is difficult to tell how many rounds the officers fired and when they did so.
ICE has been under immense scrutiny in recent months, with CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten calling it a “political disaster” for President Donald Trump.
As of March 2026, there had been 46 deaths in ICE custody and two fatal ICE shootings of U.S. citizens in Minneapolis since the beginning of the second Trump administration.
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