Federal immigration agent shot at fleeing vehicle in New Jersey

Federal immigration agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop on Route 72 near Mermaid Drive in Stafford Township when the encounter turned into a fast-moving confrontation: an officer was struck, fired at the fleeing vehicle and the suspect sped away. The FBI has taken over the investigation, while the driver remains at large.

ICE identified the target as Friedrich Castillo-Ormeno, a man from Peru it said had a final order of removal dated Jan. 30, 2026. The agency said the driver “weaponized his vehicle” and hit the officer, who was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Reporters at the scene described a white van leaving eastbound on Route 72, with at least one account saying the rear window was shattered after the shots. It remained unclear whether Castillo-Ormeno was hurt.

The scene unfolded around 9:30 a.m. on Monday, June 15, 2026, in Manahawkin, about 36 miles north of Atlantic City and within sight of a busy Jersey Shore corridor. Route 72 was temporarily closed in both directions near Mermaid Drive as law enforcement secured the area and controlled traffic. Stafford Township police said they were not involved in the ICE operation and were only helping with scene security and traffic control. Police also said there was no known threat to public safety.

The incident now raises a bigger question about the rules that govern when immigration agents can fire at a fleeing car, especially in a suburban area where bystanders and passing motorists can be put at risk in seconds. ICE has framed the episode as part of a pattern of vehicle attacks against its officers, while the response from Rep. Jeff Van Drew underscored how quickly such encounters become politically charged. Van Drew praised ICE and criticized politicians and activists who, he said, demonize officers doing their jobs.

With the suspect still missing and the FBI leading the case, the basic sequence of events will matter. Investigators will need to determine what prompted the stop, how the vehicle hit the agent, whether the shots struck the van and whether the use of force met federal standards in a crowded stretch near the Jersey Shore.