A man allegedly connected to El Salvador’s infamous 18th Street Gang attempted to run over Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during a targeted vehicle stop in Northern California on Tuesday, according to ICE.
Officer actions at the scene revealed Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez weaponized his vehicle by reversing it before driving forward while surrounded by agents. Dashcam footage obtained by authorities shows Hernandez maneuvering the car into the median and toward oncoming traffic before coming to a halt. At least one agent fired shots into the vehicle, which sustained significant damage including multiple gunshots in the windshield.
ICE Director Todd M. Lyons stated officers fired defensive shots to protect themselves, their colleagues, and the public following training protocols. Hernandez was taken to a local hospital after the incident, with the FBI on scene for investigation. ICE identified Hernandez as a member of El Salvador’s 18th Street Gang wanted for questioning in relation to a murder.
No law enforcement personnel were injured during the confrontation. On-ramps and off-ramps on the I-5 freeway remained closed for hours afterward. Patterson, a town of approximately 24,000 residents in Stanislaus County roughly 90 miles southeast of San Francisco known as the “apricot capital of the world,” was the location of the incident.
