A federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer was injured Monday morning after being struck by a vehicle during an attempted apprehension in Manahawkin, New Jersey, authorities said. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. near Mermaid Drive on Route 72, according to statements from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Stafford Township Police Department.

The ICE agent was conducting a traffic stop when the driver, identified as Friedrich Castillo-Ormeno, a Peruvian immigrant, fled the scene by hitting the officer with his car. The agent then fired his weapon, striking the vehicle as Castillo-Ormeno continued to evade capture. DHS described the driver as having “weaponized” his car against the officer, though this characterization has not been independently verified.

The ICE agent was transported to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the incident, though officials did not disclose the severity of his condition. Local law enforcement said Castillo-Ormeno’s condition was unknown and confirmed he remained at large following the incident.

According to DHS, Castillo-Ormeno entered the United States during the Biden administration and was ordered by a judge on Jan. 30 to leave the country. Local police indicated that the ICE agent was operating without direct assistance from local officers, who limited their role to securing the crime scene and managing traffic. The Stafford Township Police Department stated it was not investigating the incident, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was present on the scene by Monday afternoon.

In response to the event, Representative Jeff Van Drew, a Republican from New Jersey, expressed support for ICE agents and condemned what he described as a trend of vilifying law enforcement personnel. “ICE agents put their lives on the line every day to enforce our nation’s laws and protect our communities,” Van Drew said, adding that the officer was expected to recover.

The incident occurred amid heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in New Jersey. In nearby Newark, about 90 minutes north of Manahawkin, protests at Delaney Hall, a large immigration detention center, have been ongoing for several weeks. Demonstrators, who have reported concerns over detainee conditions, have clashed regularly with law enforcement, resulting in at least 100 arrests and drawing attention from congressional Democrats. These developments have also prompted the Trump administration to threaten sending additional immigration agents to the state.

Eyewitnesses near the crash site, including employees at a nearby convenience store, described being shocked by the confrontation, which unfolded close to a wooded area directly across the street from their workplace. The investigation into the incident continues as authorities search for Castillo-Ormeno.