Federal immigration officials opened fire on a vehicle on Wednesday that they said was carrying two illegal immigrants and tried to run them over as they conducted a “targeted immigration enforcement operation” in the Baltimore, Maryland, suburb of Glen Burnie.
A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement told the Washington Examiner in a statement that Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins, who has allegedly been in the United States illegally from Portugal since 2009, was shot by ICE officers after he “drove his van directly at ICE officers” in an attempt “to run them over.”
Sousa-Martins then allegedly crashed into two buildings, injuring passenger Solomon Antonio Serrano-Esquivel, who ICE said has also been in the U.S. illegally from El Salvador. Both were rendered aid on scene before being taken to a nearby hospital. Serrano-Esquivel was treated for whiplash, according to the statement. Both men are expected to recover.
Democratic County Councilwoman Allison Pickard, who represents the area, confirmed reports about the vehicle attack. She told the Baltimore Banner that an ICE officer “shot someone who allegedly attempted to run them over.”
The ICE statement said federal officers approached the vehicle after “positively identifying” Sousa-Martins, who did not follow instructions to turn off his vehicle. He then allegedly attempted to flee and “began ramming his van into several ICE vehicles” before he was shot.
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“Fearing for their lives and public safety, [agents] defensively fired their service weapons, striking the driver,” ICE said, adding that no personnel were injured and the incident remains under investigation.
Sousa-Martins allegedly entered the U.S. in December 2008 but violated the terms of his admission when his visa expired in February 2009, and he remained in the country. No additional immigration details were provided for Serrano-Esquivel.