Attorney Disputes ICE's Account of Shooting During Arrest in California

Lawyer says client did not try to run over officers and has no warrant in El Salvador

Apr. 8, 2026 at 7:20pm

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A realistic painting of an ICE vehicle parked on a quiet suburban street, the warm light and deep shadows creating a contemplative, cinematic mood that reflects the complex tensions surrounding immigration enforcement.The aggressive tactics of federal immigration enforcement continue to spark controversy and concern within local communities.Modesto Today

An attorney for a man shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during an arrest in central California said his client did not try to run over officers with his car and disputed claims that he has a warrant out for his arrest in El Salvador. The Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents fired defensive shots at Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez after he tried to drive into them, but the attorney said Mendoza was just trying to flee and did not intend to hit the officers.

Why it matters

This is the latest incident in a string of shootings that have happened during the Trump administration's aggressive push to detain and deport illegal immigrants, in which questions have been raised about the accounts provided by federal immigration officials.

The details

The attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, said his client Mendoza has been stopped for minor traffic infractions but has no criminal record in the U.S. and is not the subject of an arrest warrant in El Salvador, where he was acquitted of murder. Kolasinski said Mendoza was just trying to flee and did not intend to hit the officers. Dashcam footage shows Mendoza backing up and then driving forward, but it's unclear when the shots were fired.

  • The incident occurred on Tuesday in Patterson, California, about 75 miles southeast of San Francisco.

The players

Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez

A 36-year-old man who was shot by ICE agents during an arrest in central California. His attorney disputes claims that he tried to run over the officers or has a warrant for his arrest in El Salvador.

Patrick Kolasinski

The attorney representing Mendoza and his family, who said his client has no criminal record in the U.S. and was acquitted of murder in El Salvador.

Cindy

Mendoza's fiancée, who said the Trump administration's immigration crackdown is hurting families.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that conducted the enforcement stop targeting Mendoza, claiming he is a suspected gang member wanted in El Salvador.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The federal agency that oversees ICE and said the agents fired defensive shots after Mendoza tried to drive into them.

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What they’re saying

“If he was released after being acquitted, with no other holds on him, he cannot have a warrant. So that information must be either erroneous or completely made up. And only DHS knows what they're looking at.”

— Patrick Kolasinski, Attorney representing Mendoza

“He's a good guy. He's a hardworking person.”

— Cindy, Mendoza's fiancée

“He is doing everything he can to not run them over.”

— Patrick Kolasinski, Attorney representing Mendoza

What’s next

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office said the FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting incident.

The takeaway

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the use of force and questionable accounts by federal immigration authorities during arrests, as well as the broader impacts of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies on immigrant families.