Federal immigration officers say they shot suspected gang member in central California

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot and wounded a suspected gang member in central California who is wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection to a murder, federal officials said Tuesday.

ICE officers were attempting to arrest Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez in the town of Patterson when he tried to run over one of the agents, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. DHS said the officers opened fire to protect themselves.

Mendoza was wounded and taken to a hospital, officials said.

It was unknown if Mendoza had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. The Associated Press could not locate a phone number for him or his family. Messages to an immigration detention rapid response hotline and to ICE seeking information on Mendoza were not immediately returned.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said they were not involved in the incident. The area is about 85 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco.

Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation were also on the scene, DHS said.