Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot 36‑year‑old Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez during a traffic stop in Patterson, California, near San on Tuesday. ICE said the man was wanted for questioning in a Salvadoran murder case and identified him as an 18th Street gang member. Video from dashcams shows agents surrounding his Toyota before firing multiple rounds as the vehicle reversed.

Hernandez’s attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, contested ICE’s narrative, arguing his client had been acquitted of the El Salvador murder and possessed no U.S. criminal ties. He noted Hernandez entered the country illegally in 2019, works as a day laborer, and is engaged to a citizen with a toddler. A recent Turlock traffic stop, not a warrant, may have triggered ICE involvement.

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons maintained agents acted in self‑defense, saying the driver “weaponized” his vehicle. Kolasinski countered that the footage shows poor tactical training, echoing criticism of previous federal shootings. With the family still unable to contact Hernandez and his condition unknown, the incident adds pressure on ICE to review its stop‑and‑question protocols and to ensure accountability across its ranks.