Shots Fired as Fleeing Suspect Strikes ICE Agent with Vehicle - Manhunt Underway

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer was injured Monday morning in New Jersey after a suspect allegedly used a van as a weapon during an attempted arrest, prompting the agent to fire at the vehicle before the driver fled the scene.

The incident unfolded around 9:30 a.m. in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, according to WCAU-TV. As of Monday evening, both the van and its driver remained at large.

ICE identified the suspect in a post on X as Freidrich Castillo-Ormeno, a Peruvian national, “who was released into our country under the Biden administration.” According to the agency, Castillo-Ormeno had been issued a final order of removal on Jan. 30.

A witness described the tense moments leading up to the collision.

“They tell him to roll down his window, he’s inching forward and you can tell it’s getting tense by his inching forward. As soon as he gunned it, you just see the front of the van, pin the lower half of the officer’s body into the officer’s car,” Stafford Township resident Payton Johnson told WCAU.

“You just see the guy’s body just get twisted and mangled and in that twist, you know, he then pulled out his gun and shot at the van,” he said.

Authorities said the agent’s gunfire may have shattered the rear window of the van as the driver escaped.

ICE later released a statement outlining the attempted enforcement action.

“ICE law enforcement officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. The driver then weaponized his vehicle and struck an officer resulting in the officer discharging his weapon. The driver fled the scene and remains at-large.”

The Stafford Township Police Department issued its own statement, emphasizing that local officers were not participating in the ICE operation.

“Stafford Township Police adheres to the Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive and was not assisting or a part of the I.C.E. operation,” police said in their release.

“The ongoing investigation is not being conducted by Stafford Township Police. Our role at this point is to manage traffic and secure the crime scene,” the police statement said.

Although the suspect remained on the run Monday, police said, “There is no reason to believe there is any concern for the public’s safety.”

The attack quickly drew condemnation from Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a New Jersey Republican, who warned that anti-ICE rhetoric has helped create a dangerous climate for federal law enforcement officers tasked with enforcing America’s immigration laws.

“ICE agents put their lives on the line every day to enforce our nation’s laws and protect our communities,” Van Drew said, according to WCAU.

“Yet too many politicians and activists continue to demonize them for doing the job they are sworn to do. This incident is a reminder of the dangers these brave men and women face. I am grateful the agent is expected to recover, and I will always stand with ICE and law enforcement.”

The incident underscores the risks faced by immigration officers as President Donald Trump’s administration continues its renewed push to restore border security, enforce removal orders, and reverse years of lax immigration policies that allowed individuals with final deportation orders to remain inside the country.

For many conservatives, the case is another reminder that immigration enforcement is not an abstract political debate — it is a matter of public safety, the rule of law, and protecting the officers who stand between American communities and those who refuse to comply with lawful removal orders.