ICE officer in Manahawkin fires shot during an attempted arrest

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was hit with a vehicle in Manahawkin early Monday as he tried to arrest a man who later fled in the car, according to local police. As the suspect got away, the officer struck the vehicle with his firearm.

The attempted arrest played out on Route 72 near Mermaid Drive, according to the Stafford Township Police Department, which learned of the incident around 9:30 a.m.

An ICE spokesperson said immigration officers were conducting a targeted car stop to arrest Peruvian national Friedrich Castillo-Ormeno, who’d been given a final order of removal Jan. 30.

“The driver then weaponized his vehicle and struck an officer resulting in the officer discharging his weapon,” said the ICE spokesperson in a statement, adding the incident was part of a “pattern of vehicle attacks” against its officers.

The ICE agent was reported to have sustained injuries, but his condition was not immediately clear. The ICE spokesperson did confirm the officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment

Stafford Township Police said it’s unclear whether the suspect fired back at the ICE agent as he tried to flee, but noted they believed there is no threat to public safety.

For now, local police continue to secure the area, which is expected to see road closures for several more hours as ICE continues to investigate. The FBI was also on the scene.

New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive and other state policies limit police cooperation with ICE. Stafford Police said they were not part of the attempted arrest when the incident occurred, adding they would not be investigating the incident, either.

New Jersey State Police similarly directed all questions regarding the ongoing investigation to ICE.

An ICE spokesperson said the agency would update the public when more information is available.