A California man shot by US immigration agents says officials falsely accused him of being a gang member and opened fire on him without justification during a traffic stop.
Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, was pulled over and shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on Tuesday in Patterson, a rural agricultural town in California’s Central Valley. The case has drawn scrutiny as questions mount over the use of force by federal immigration agents.
According to his attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, Hernandez was hit by more than six bullets. Kolasinski visited him in the hospital on Thursday morning and relayed his client’s account of the shooting.
The incident took place during a traffic stop, but the source provided does not include further details about what happened before the shooting or what prompted the officers’ actions. Hernandez’s claim that he was falsely labeled a gang member is central to the allegations now surrounding the case.
The shooting in Patterson adds to ongoing attention on ICE and the conduct of its officers, particularly in cases involving the use of force. With Hernandez hospitalized and his attorney speaking publicly on his behalf, the episode is likely to remain under close review.
As of Thursday, the matter was still unfolding, and the information available came through Hernandez’s lawyer following the hospital visit. The case centers on the man’s accusation that he was targeted unfairly and shot without cause.
