MODESTO, Calif. (AP) — An attorney for Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, a man shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, disputes claims that his client attempted to run over officers during an arrest.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated the shooting occurred in Patterson, Calif., as they were making an enforcement stop targeting the suspect, alleged to have links to gang activities in El Salvador, where he was allegedly wanted for questioning related to a murder.
Attorney Patrick Kolasinski announced that Mendoza, 36, has a clean record in the U.S. and denies having any warrants against him. “If he was released after being acquitted... he cannot have a warrant,” Kolasinski asserted.
Contradicting DHS assertions, Kolasinski emphasized his client's lack of gang involvement, pointing to a 2019 court document that confirmed Mendoza's acquittal of murder charges in El Salvador, stating he should not be linked to gang activity.
Amidst escalating tensions in immigration policies under the Trump administration, the incident marks another point of concern surrounding the tactics employed by ICE agents.
Mendoza’s fiancée, Cindy, advocates for his character, mentioning previous minor traffic violations but insisting he is a diligent worker. They have a two-year-old daughter together. Further, Kolasinski criticized the approach taken by agents during the arrest, suggesting it put everyone's safety at risk.
The FBI is now investigating the shooting, with Mendoza's condition remaining unclear as his family has not visited him since the event.
