Share and Follow
Feds investigate ICE-involved shooting in California
Authorities at both the federal and local levels are actively investigating an incident in Patterson, California, involving a shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The incident took place on Tuesday and involved an individual from El Salvador who is reportedly in the U.S. illegally. This individual is allegedly linked to a murder investigation in his home country.
The suspect, identified as a purported gang member, was wanted in El Salvador for questioning related to a murder case. On Tuesday, federal agents shot him after he allegedly attempted to use his vehicle to strike an ICE officer during the encounter.
ICE Director Todd Lyons explained to Fox News that the shooting occurred following a planned vehicle stop aimed at arresting Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez. He is suspected of being involved with the notorious 18th Street Gang and was sought after by ICE for his potential connection to the murder case in El Salvador.
A senior federal law enforcement official mentioned that Mendoza Hernandez was identified by the National Targeting Center as a person of interest. During the attempted arrest, officials claim he tried to weaponize his car, posing a threat to the officers on the scene.
As agents approached the car, officials said Mendoza Hernandez allegedly weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an officer.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents respond to the ICE-involved shooting scene on April 7, 2026. (KOVR/NNS)
“Following their training, our officers fired defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and the public,” Lyons said.
Mendoza Hernandez was taken to a local hospital.
The extent of his injuries and current condition have not yet been released.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s Sacramento field office said it is responding to the incident, which it said involved ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“We are conducting a thorough investigation,” FBI Sacramento wrote in a statement. “… [We] are grateful for the Patterson community’s continued patience and support.”
The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said it is assisting with the investigation.
The department noted local law enforcement were not involved in the incident.
An agent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) waits in a hallway outside of a courtroom at New York Federal Plaza Immigration Court inside the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building in New York on July 17, 2025. US President Donald Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged “invasion” by criminals. (Charly Triballeau/AFP)
The incident happened months after Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed Jan. 7 by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, prompting nationwide protests.
Following the shooting, officials said Good was attempting to ram federal agents with her car during an anti-ICE protest.
An FBI agent on scene of the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good and image of Good split. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images and ODU English Department/Facebook)
Patterson, California, is located about 70 miles southeast of San Francisco, just off Interstate 5.
The rural city is known for farming almonds, apricots and other crops.