WATCH: Dashcam footage shows federal agents firing at alleged gang member in California; 8th ICE shooting this year

US President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agency has been involved in yet another violent incident, raising the total number of people shot by its federal agents this year to eight. According to reports, on Tuesday (Apr 7), Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot a man in Patterson, a rural agricultural town in California’s Central Valley. The man, identified as Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, as per ICE, is allegedly a member of the Los Angeles 18th Street gang. Dashcam footage shows the moment Hernandez reportedly "weaponised" his sedan, pinning agents before they opened fire in "defensive shots." Here's all you need to know.

What did Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez do?

Confirming the California man's identity, ICE director Todd Lyons described him as an “illegal alien” and member of the Los Angeles 18th Street gang. He alleged that Hernandez was wanted for questioning in El Salvador in connection with a murder. However, Lyons offered no supporting evidence for either claim, and the details of the Salvadoran investigation remain unclear.

What happened in California?

Hernandez was taken to the hospital after being shot by ICE agents during a traffic stop. According to Lyons,
agents moved in to arrest Hernandez during a vehicle stop when he allegedly "weaponised his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over." Agents then fired what Lyons called "defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and the public." The number of shots fired has not been disclosed.

Video of ICE violence emerges

Dashcam footage obtained by Sacramento NBC affiliate KCRA-TV shows three ICE agents flanking a black sedan pinned between two vehicles with emergency lights flashing. In the silent video, agents appear to reach into the car, which then reverses with the passenger door open, the door clipping the vehicle behind it. The sedan then lurches forward toward the officers before veering left across the median and out of frame. Weapons appear drawn throughout.

Watch the video here:

The sheriff's office confirmed no local law enforcement was involved in the shooting. The FBI's Sacramento field office said an investigation was underway. California Governor Gavin Newsom said he had been briefed and that he expected federal agents to "appropriately collaborate with state and local law enforcement" during the inquiry.

The shooting is the latest in a string of use-of-force incidents involving ICE. At least eight people have been shot by immigration agents so far in 2026, as the Trump administration has dramatically expanded enforcement operations nationwide.