FBI Arrests Man Shot by ICE Agents After Hospital Release; Lawyer Disputes Gang Allegations

A man who was shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during an early-morning traffic stop in Central California was taken into custody by the FBI immediately after he was discharged from the hospital, his attorney said Monday.

Who Was Arrested
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified the man as Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant the agency described as an alleged 18th Street gang member wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection with a murder. Mendoza Hernandez, 36, is a father to a toddler and is engaged to a U.S. citizen, his lawyer said.

Lawyer's Response
Attorney Patrick Kolasinski disputed the DHS characterization, saying records the family obtained from El Salvador indicate Mendoza Hernandez was accused but later acquitted in a past murder case, meaning no active Salvadoran arrest warrant should exist. Kolasinski said he has retained counsel in El Salvador to verify the records and to confirm there is no outstanding order for his client.

Shooting and Medical Condition
The early-morning shooting occurred near Interstate 5 in Patterson, about 90 miles south of Sacramento. Kolasinski said Mendoza Hernandez was struck roughly six times, including once in the face, and has undergone three surgeries. The attorney said his client fled the scene because he believed he had already been shot at and feared for his life.

Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez is seen in this image provided by his attorney. - From Patrick Kolasinski

Arrest After Hospital Release
Kolasinski said federal agents executed a warrant and arrested Mendoza Hernandez after he was released from the hospital on Monday. The man was being transported to the Sacramento County jail to await formal charges; the attorney said the precise charges were not immediately known.

Video, Witness Accounts, and Disputed Timeline
CNN obtained two dashcam videos showing a black vehicle surrounded by agents, briefly stopping, then moving forward and crossing a highway divider as an agent jumps out of the way. The silent footage does not make clear when shots were fired. A witness who recorded one clip — identified only as Christina for privacy reasons — initially believed the first shot came after the car reversed but later said a closer review suggested the first shot happened before the vehicle backed up. Kolasinski and his client maintain that agents fired before the vehicle moved.

Official Statements and Investigation
DHS and ICE said officers followed training protocols and fired defensive shots after an agent was allegedly targeted by the vehicle. DHS cited an increase in vehicle attacks on agents nationwide. The FBI confirmed it is leading the investigation, with the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office assisting; local law enforcement said it was not involved in the stop. California Governor Gavin Newsom urged federal authorities to coordinate with state and local partners during the probe.

Context
The encounter comes amid broader controversy over federal immigration enforcement, including disputes about DHS accounts in other high-profile use-of-force incidents and criticism that some deportations have been based on gang allegations without publicly provided evidence. Mendoza Hernandez's legal team continues to seek body camera footage, additional videos and witness statements to clarify the sequence of events.

Note: Charges against Mendoza Hernandez were not specified at the time of reporting. This article will be updated as additional information becomes available.