A man who was shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a traffic stop in Central California was arrested by the FBI on Monday, shortly after being discharged from the hospital, according to his lawyer.

This is Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, who had undergone three surgeries after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

No information on charges

Attorney Patrick Kolasinski stated that federal authorities have not specified the charges his client could face. He also stated that Mendoza was taken into custody without prior notification to his family or legal team.

“We are shocked. He shouldn't have left that hospital. He was not in a condition to be discharged,” the attorney declared.

Official version of the shooting

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicated that ICE agents fired in self-defense when Mendoza allegedly attempted to ram them during a traffic stop.

The incident occurred in Patterson, California, about 75 miles southeast of San Francisco. Authorities described the 36-year-old man as a suspected gang member wanted in El Salvador for questioning in a homicide case. Kolasinski maintained that his client has never belonged to a gang and has no criminal record in the United States. He also stated that Mendoza was acquitted in a murder case in El Salvador, where there is no arrest warrant against him. The lawyer added that the man was initially stopped for minor traffic violations. Questions about the use of force: According to the defense, officers fired their weapons while the vehicle was stopped, and Mendoza attempted to flee after the shots were fired. Dashcam footage released by local media shows several officers surrounding the car before the vehicle reverses and then abruptly moves forward.The video does not include audio and does not clearly determine when the shots were fired. To date, federal authorities have not explained why Mendoza was subjected to coercive action nor have they responded to his lawyer's statements. The incident occurs amid intensified immigration enforcement operations in the United States. Mendoza, who holds dual Salvadoran and Mexican citizenship, arrived in the country in 2019. According to his lawyer, he works as a construction worker repairing fire damage, has a two-year-old daughter, and is engaged to a U.S. citizen.