Federal authorities have arrested and charged a California man who was shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents earlier this month with assaulting a federal officer. Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, was shot multiple times, including in the face, during an encounter with ICE officers on April 7 in Patterson, a small city in California’s Central Valley approximately 80 miles southeast of San Francisco.

Hernandez faces a federal charge of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon, stemming from allegations that he used his vehicle to strike an agent. According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, an FBI special agent stated that Hernandez drove toward officers in a manner that could have caused serious injury or death, though no injuries to the agents were reported. The complaint notes that two ICE officers fired their weapons but also acknowledges that the FBI had been unable to interview the agents involved.

The incident began when officers conducted a targeted stop to arrest Hernandez for immigration violations. Video footage captured by witnesses in nearby vehicles shows Hernandez’s car moving backward as officers pointed guns at him, with conflicting accounts about the timing of the shots. Hernandez’s attorney maintains that his client only attempted to drive away after being shot, while another witness asserts the first shots were fired before the vehicle moved. The dashcam videos do not clearly document an officer being hit by the vehicle, and ICE officials have not confirmed injuries to agents.

Initial statements from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) characterized Hernandez as an 18th Street gang member wanted for questioning in a murder case in El Salvador. However, these assertions were absent from the formal Department of Justice (DoJ) complaint, and Hernandez’s attorney strongly disputes the gang affiliation, noting that Hernandez has no known ties to Los Angeles—the area associated with the gang—and that court records from El Salvador indicate he was acquitted of murder charges. The DoJ press release said he was in the United States illegally but did not repeat DHS’s prior claims linking him to criminal gangs or murder investigations.

Hernandez’s legal representative also criticized the investigation, highlighting that the FBI had not interviewed key witnesses, including the ICE agents who were allegedly assaulted. DHS did not respond to requests for comment on why ICE officers involved were not interviewed or for clarification on the gang allegations.

The case reflects ongoing tensions surrounding ICE’s use of force and subsequent prosecutorial actions. In recent months, the Department of Justice has faced several challenges securing convictions in cases involving assaults on immigration officers. Meanwhile, DHS has been scrutinized for making questionable or unsubstantiated claims about individuals involved in these encounters.

Hernandez is currently detained and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He has a two-year-old daughter with his partner, a U.S. citizen, who has expressed the profound impact the incident has had on their family. His attorney described Hernandez as a family-oriented man who worked in rehabilitating fire-damaged buildings prior to his arrest. The situation remains under investigation, with prosecutors declining to provide further details citing the ongoing nature of the case.