ICE agents fired on a van in Glen Burnie, Maryland, on Christmas Eve after authorities say the driver attempted to strike officers during an enforcement operation. One person inside the van was shot and taken to a hospital in stable condition; another person outside the vehicle sustained minor injuries. DHS identified the driver and passenger and said agents rendered medical aid before transporting them to hospitals. Multiple investigations are ongoing, including reviews by Anne Arundel County, the FBI, and ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility.
ICE Agents Shoot Van Driver After Alleged Attempt To Run Over Officers In Glen Burnie On Christmas Eve
ICE agents open fire on van driver who allegedly tried to run them over on Christmas Eve
Two people were wounded in Glen Burnie, Maryland, on Christmas Eve after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents opened fire on a van during a law-enforcement operation, authorities said.
ICE agents opened fire on a van in Maryland after DHS says the driver attempted to ram officers during a Christmas Eve enforcement operation, leaving two injured and prompting multiple investigations.
Anne Arundel County Police Department spokesperson Justin Mulacahy said officers responded to West Court at about 10:50 a.m. Wednesday for reports of a shooting involving ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations agents. A preliminary investigation indicates ICE agents were conducting an enforcement detail when they approached a white van.
ICE agents opened fire on a van in Maryland after DHS says the driver attempted to ram officers during a Christmas Eve enforcement operation, leaving two injured and prompting multiple investigations.
According to police and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the driver allegedly attempted to run the agents over. Authorities said the driver then accelerated, rammed several ICE vehicles and drove the van toward agents, prompting ICE officers to fire on the vehicle. The van later crashed into a wooded area of a nearby residential neighborhood and came to rest between two buildings.
ICE agents opened fire on a van in Maryland after DHS says the driver attempted to ram officers during a Christmas Eve enforcement operation, leaving two injured and prompting multiple investigations.
Mulacahy said one person inside the van was struck by gunfire and transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition. Another person outside the vehicle sustained minor injuries and was treated at an area hospital. DHS said agents rendered medical aid to both occupants before they were transported for further treatment.
DHS posted on X identifying the driver as Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins, whom the agency described as an "illegal alien" from Portugal, and the passenger as Solomon Antonio Serrano-Esquivel, described by DHS as an "illegal alien" from El Salvador.
"Fearing for their lives and public safety, the ICE officers defensively fired their service weapons, striking the driver," DHS said. The agency added that continued rhetoric encouraging resistance against ICE could lead to more violent incidents.
Investigations Under Way
The episode has prompted at least three separate reviews: the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division will review the shooting; the FBI will investigate the alleged assault on federal agents; and ICE will conduct an internal inquiry through its Office of Professional Responsibility. Police Chief Amal Awad emphasized that county resources were not involved in the shooting and that multiple investigations are standard when federal and local agencies are connected to an incident.
No further details were immediately available as the investigations continue.
