Ontario Man Charged with Assault After Being Shot by ICE Officer

Introduction to the Incident

An Ontario man who was shot by an immigration officer on Thursday was charged Friday with assault on a federal officer. The criminal complaint filed in federal court in Riverside and some statements made by Carlos Jimenez, the defendant, at his initial court appearance on Friday also provided new details about what may have led to the shooting.

Details of the Incident

On Oct. 30, federal officers said Jimenez had backed up his SUV at them before the officer shot him. A federal affidavit filed on Friday said Jimenez had first argued with officers before ultimately backing up his car. According to the affidavit, an “enforcement team” made up of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, an Enforcement and Removal Operations Deportation officer and two U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers was conducting a “planned immigration enforcement operation” in Ontario on Thursday. The team had stopped a Honda Accord going southbound on Vineyard Avenue.

The Confrontation

An officer was speaking to the three occupants of the Honda on the car’s driver’s side when Jimenez pulled up in his Lexus RX350, also on the driver’s side where the officer was, the complaint states. That’s when Jimenez “engaged in a verbal altercation with the officers at the vehicle stop,” and another officer approached with his firearm and told Jimenez to leave, before holstering his firearm and taking out his pepper spray, according to the complaint. Jimenez initially pulled his car forward and left, away from the Honda and officers, but then stopped and turned the car’s wheels and “rapidly” accelerated back towards the officers and the stopped Honda, court papers say. The officer who had been talking to the Honda’s occupants said he feared that Jimenez’s car would hit him and the Honda.

The Shooting

As Jimenez accelerated backwards, an officer fired a shot that hit Jimenez in the shoulder, the complaint states. “Then, Jimenez drove away from the scene and later checked himself into a hospital. After Jimenez was medically cleared and released from the hospital, Jimenez was taken into HSI custody,” the complaint says, referring to Homeland Security investigators. Family members said Thursday that Jimenez drove himself to his nearby home and was taken to a hospital.

Court Appearance

On Friday, according to people in the courtroom, Jimenez told a federal magistrate judge that he initially asked the officers to be careful, because their traffic stop was near a school bus stop, and children would be arriving soon. He said he did not raise his voice to the officers until he saw one of them approach him with a gun out. Then, according to courtroom observers, he said something to the effect of “Are you really going to shoot an American citizen?” The judge ordered him released on $10,000 bond with a GPS location monitor to be installed immediately. No plea was taken. His arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. in U.S. District Court in Riverside.

Protests

A few protesters were gathered outside during Friday’s hearing to support Jimenez and protest how the federal government is handling the mass deportations of illegal immigrants. “Melt ICE Dump Trump,” one sign said. A long banner demanded, “ICE out of the Inland Empire.” One of the protesters was 34-year-old Ana Wilson of Riverside. Her message is “ICE out of the Inland Empire. Fascists out of the U.S.,” she said. “They are breaking the law in the name of law enforcement.” The outcome of the immigration enforcement activity conducted on the occupants of the Honda Civic was unclear on Friday.

Conclusion

The incident involving Carlos Jimenez and the ICE officers has raised questions about the use of force by law enforcement and the handling of immigration enforcement operations. The case is ongoing, and Jimenez’s arraignment is scheduled for later this month.

FAQs

• Q: What was Carlos Jimenez charged with?
  A: Jimenez was charged with assault on a federal officer.
• Q: What led to the shooting of Jimenez?
  A: According to the complaint, Jimenez backed up his SUV towards the officers after a verbal altercation.
• Q: What did Jimenez say to the officers before being shot?
  A: Jimenez told the judge that he asked the officers to be careful because of a nearby school bus stop and said something to the effect of “Are you really going to shoot an American citizen?” when he saw an officer approach him with a gun.
• Q: What is the status of Jimenez’s case?
  A: Jimenez was released on $10,000 bond and is scheduled for arraignment on Nov. 25.