ICE Shooting Incident in Central Valley Leads to Federal Charges Against Salvadoran Man
A Salvadoran man, Carlos Iván Mendoza Hernández, has been charged with assaulting federal agents following a controversial incident during an immigration operation in the San Joaquin Valley. On April 7, ICE agents fired multiple shots at Hernández, who was subsequently hospitalized. According to Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Hernández attempted to run over an officer with his vehicle, prompting agents to fire in self-defense. However, Hernández's attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, and an eyewitness claim that the agents fired first, causing Hernández to panic and attempt to flee. A federal grand jury has indicted Hernández on two counts of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon and one count of destruction of government property. The incident occurred during a traffic stop near Patterson, California, where Hernández allegedly refused to exit his vehicle and drove at the agents. Video footage obtained by a local TV station shows the chaotic scene, with agents...