A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent was struck by a fleeing suspect’s vehicle and opened fire during an attempted apprehension in New Jersey on Monday morning, authorities said, as the suspect escaped and remained on the run.
The confrontation unfolded shortly after 9:30 a.m. along Route 72 in Manahawkin, where federal immigration agents were attempting to arrest Freidrich Castillo-Ormeno, an illegal alien from Peru who was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration, an ICE spokesperson confirmed to Fox News. The agency said Castillo-Ormeno was given a final order of removal by an immigration judge on January 30, 2026.
Castillo-Ormenol allegedly struck an ICE agent while fleeing in a vehicle, police said.
The agent fired at the vehicle, which was reportedly hit by gunfire, but the suspect drove away and had not been located as of Monday afternoon, according to authorities.
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ICE said the injured officer was taken to a local hospital for treatment, but did not share information on the extent of his injuries. It is unclear whether the suspect was wounded.
Local police said there was no known threat to public safety and emphasized they were not involved in the ICE operation, limiting their role to traffic control and securing the scene.
The area was expected to be closed for several hours, according to police, who advised residents to seek alternate routes.
“There is a pattern of vehicle attacks against our officers. Our law enforcement officers are facing a 3,300% increase in vehicle attacks against them,” an ICE spokesperson emphasized to Fox News.
Fox News’ Alexis McAdams contributed to this story.
