A man who was shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a roadside stop in central California was arrested by the FBI on Monday, according to his legal representative. Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez was taken into federal custody immediately following his discharge from a hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for multiple gunshot wounds.
The arrest marks a sudden escalation in a case that has drawn scrutiny over the use of force by federal immigration agents. Attorney Patrick Kolasinski stated that the FBI took Mendoza into custody without providing prior notification to his family or his legal team. He described the timing of the release as premature, noting that Mendoza had undergone three surgeries to treat his injuries.
“We’re in shock,” Kolasinski said. “He should not be out of that hospital. He was in no condition to be released.”
The man shot by ICE in California has been arrested by the FBI under circumstances that remain partially obscured, as federal officials have not yet disclosed the specific charges Mendoza may face. Requests for further information have been sent to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Roadside Encounter in Patterson
The incident occurred last Tuesday in Patterson, a city located approximately 75 miles southeast of San Francisco. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE agents were conducting an enforcement stop targeting Mendoza, 36. Officials claim that agents fired “defensive shots” after Mendoza allegedly attempted to drive his vehicle into them during the encounter.
Federal authorities identified Mendoza as a suspected gang member who was wanted in El Salvador for questioning regarding a murder. However, these claims are sharply contested by Mendoza’s defense. Kolasinski stated that while Mendoza was shot in the jaw and struggled to speak in the immediate aftermath, he maintained that he has never been a member of any gang.
The sequence of events is further complicated by conflicting accounts of the shooting. While the government describes the shots as defensive, Kolasinski asserts that agents opened fire while the vehicle was stationary, and that Mendoza only drove away in an attempt to flee the gunfire.
Evidence from Dashcam Footage
Dashcam footage obtained by KCRA-TV provides a visual record of the encounter, though it lacks audio. The video shows three officers standing near a vehicle stopped on the shoulder of the road. In the footage, one officer appears to touch the driver’s side window before the car begins to reverse, striking another vehicle behind it. At least two agents are seen with weapons drawn and pointed at the car.
The driver then accelerates forward toward the agents before making a sharp turn and driving over the roadway median. Because there is no sound, the exact moment the shots were fired and any verbal commands given by the agents remain unclear.
Contradicting Claims of Criminal History
A central point of contention in this case is Mendoza’s alleged criminal background. While federal officials labeled him a suspected gang member wanted for murder in El Salvador, legal documents suggest a different history.
A court document dated October 25, 2019, from a judge in El Salvador indicates that Mendoza was acquitted of murder charges and ordered to be released immediately. At the time of that ruling, Mendoza was 29 years old. While the document lists 10 other individuals who were convicted of various crimes—including aggravated robbery and murder—and notes that at least one convict was a member of the 18th Street Gang, there is no mention of Mendoza belonging to a gang or participating in gang activity.
Kolasinski further noted that Mendoza has no criminal record within the United States, having only been stopped for minor traffic infractions. The attorney emphasized that his client is not currently the subject of any active arrest warrants in El Salvador.
| Detail | DHS/ICE Position | Defense Position |
|---|---|---|
| Gang Affiliation | Suspected gang member | No gang membership |
| El Salvador Status | Wanted for murder questioning | Acquitted of murder in 2019 |
| U.S. Record | Target of enforcement action | Minor traffic infractions only |
| Shooting Trigger | Defensive shots (vehicle attack) | Fleeing active gunfire |
Personal Background and Legal Status
Mendoza, a dual citizen of El Salvador and Mexico, arrived in the United States in 2019. While his exact legal status and method of entry have not been disclosed, his attorney describes him as a family man and a laborer specializing in fire damage repair. He is engaged to a U.S. Citizen and has a 2-year-old daughter.
The encounter in Patterson is part of a broader pattern of aggressive enforcement actions and shootings involving federal immigration officials. These tactics have faced increasing scrutiny as advocates and legal experts question the necessity of lethal force during immigration detentions.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not responded to inquiries regarding the specific reasons why Mendoza was targeted for this enforcement action or the discrepancies between their reports and the Salvadoran court documents.
Disclaimer: This report covers ongoing legal proceedings. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The next phase of the case will likely center on the formal filing of charges by the FBI and the subsequent arraignment of Mendoza. His legal team is expected to challenge the conditions of his hospital discharge and the validity of the “suspected gang member” designation used to justify the initial stop.
We invite readers to share their thoughts and discuss the implications of federal enforcement tactics in the comments below.
