SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A judge Monday ordered Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, a man shot multiple times during an arrest by immigration officers in central California, to remain in custody due to concerns he may be a flight risk, according to a lawyer's statement.
Mendoza, a dual citizen of El Salvador and Mexico, faces charges of assaulting a federal officer after allegedly hitting an ICE agent with his vehicle before reversing into a law enforcement car on April 7.
His attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, argued that Mendoza panicked when agents blocked his car and did not mean to harm anyone. The attorney also disputed claims from officials that Mendoza was a suspected gang member wanted for questioning related to a murder in El Salvador.
Documents from Salvadoran courts indicate that Mendoza was acquitted of murder, and his lawyer maintains that he has never been in a gang.
Mendoza has undergone several surgeries owing to his gunshot wounds. The Department of Homeland Security stated that ICE officers fired at Mendoza defensively after he allegedly attempted to drive in their direction. The incident occurred during an enforcement stop in Patterson, located about 75 miles southeast of San Francisco.
This case is part of a broader series of incidents during the Trump administration's aggressive measures to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. It has raised questions regarding the justification and circumstances of shootings involving federal officials.
Mendoza is scheduled for his next court appearance in early May.
