A man identified as Friedrich Castillo-Ormeno, an undocumented migrant from Peru, rammed his vehicle into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a targeted vehicle stop in Manahawkin, New Jersey, on Monday morning, officials reported. The incident occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Route 72 as ICE agents attempted to detain Castillo-Ormeno.

According to an ICE spokesperson, as officers moved to pull over the van, the driver used the vehicle to strike an officer, prompting the agent to discharge his firearm. The injured officer was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The van’s rear window was reportedly shattered by gunfire during the confrontation.

Castillo-Ormeno, who officials said had been released in the United States under the Biden administration despite a prior deportation order issued by an immigration judge on January 30, remained at large as of Monday evening. Authorities had closed Route 72 in both directions while a search for the suspect and the vehicle was underway. Aerial footage from the scene revealed a significant ICE presence, with about two dozen agents in tactical gear and the area secured with crime scene tape.

This incident contributes to a notable rise in assaults on ICE officers involving vehicles, which have surged sharply in recent years. Data from the Department of Homeland Security indicates there were 66 vehicle-related attacks reported by agents between January 21, 2025, and January 7, 2026, marking an increase of more than 3,300 percent compared to only two such attacks during the same period the previous year. Federal officials have attributed the rise, in part, to heightened tensions and “radical rhetoric” from certain sanctuary jurisdiction politicians, though no official statements from those local leaders have been included in the report.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to search for Castillo-Ormeno and assess the circumstances surrounding Monday’s confrontation.