UPDATE: An Ontario man has been charged with assaulting federal officers after a dramatic incident involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The confrontation escalated on October 30, 2023, leading to the man, identified as Carlos Jimenez, being shot while reversing his SUV towards officers.
According to federal court documents filed in Riverside, Jimenez initially engaged in a heated argument with the officers during a planned immigration enforcement operation. This operation involved an enforcement team that included an ICE officer and two Customs and Border Protection agents, who were conducting a traffic stop on a Honda Accord on Vineyard Avenue.
As officers spoke with the Honda’s occupants, Jimenez pulled up in his Lexus RX350 and confronted the officers verbally. The situation quickly deteriorated when an officer instructed Jimenez to leave the area. Instead of complying, Jimenez drove away briefly, only to then reverse at high speed towards the officers and the stopped vehicle. Fearing for their safety, an officer discharged his firearm, striking Jimenez in the shoulder.
After the shooting, Jimenez managed to drive away from the scene but later checked himself into a local hospital for treatment. Following his medical clearance, he was taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Witnesses reported that family members claimed Jimenez returned home before seeking medical assistance. The outcome of the immigration enforcement operation against the Honda’s occupants remains unclear.
At Jimenez’s first court appearance on the evening of October 31, protests erupted outside the George E. Brown Jr. federal building. Supporters rallied against ICE, voicing their discontent with the federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement. One protester, Ana Wilson, called for an end to ICE operations in the region, stating, “They are breaking the law in the name of law enforcement.”
This incident raises significant questions about the actions and protocols of federal officers engaged in immigration enforcement, amid ongoing national debates regarding immigration policies and practices. As the investigation unfolds, the implications for both Jimenez and the broader community are profound and immediate.
Authorities are expected to provide further details as the case progresses, and public sentiment surrounding such enforcement actions continues to evolve. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
