Jimenez Sues Over Shooting by ICE Officer in California
Carlos Jimenez says an ICE officer shot him as he tried to turn his car around during an immigration operation near a school bus stop in Southern California. His lawsuit, filed on November 6, seeks more than $25 million from the federal government and other defendants, including the officer and San Bernardino County.
The complaint says Jimenez approached agents on his way to work to warn that children would soon be at a nearby bus stop. It alleges officer Eusebio Ortiz threatened him, then fired several shots through a rear passenger-side window as Jimenez attempted a three-point turn. Jimenez suffered wounds to his back and shoulder, and the suit says bullet fragments remain near his lung.
The Department of Homeland Security previously said Jimenez’s vehicle reversed toward officers and that Ortiz fired defensive shots because he feared for his life. Jimenez’s lawyer disputes that account, saying Jimenez was moving forward when he was shot.
The lawsuit also alleges FBI agents removed Jimenez from a hospital bed and took him back to the scene for questioning while he was injured. It accuses an FBI agent of attributing statements to two neighbors that they later denied making. The complaint brings 13 claims, alleging an unjustified shooting, unlawful detention, improper prosecution and inadequate medical treatment.
Federal prosecutors had charged Jimenez with assaulting an officer with his vehicle. After a judge ordered the government to produce communications and operational records, Jimenez entered a diversion agreement. He completed its conditions, and the indictment was dismissed with prejudice on November 2. That dismissal did not decide whether officers used excessive force or acted unlawfully. Prosecutors said Jimenez requested diversion and that they sought dismissal after he completed its terms.
ICE Shooting Lawsuit Puts Federal Use of Force Under Scrutiny
A U.S. citizen says he was shot while trying to warn ICE agents that children would soon gather at a nearby school bus stop. Carlos Jimenez’s November 6 lawsuit seeks more than $25 million and alleges an unjustified shooting, unlawful detention, improper prosecution and inadequate medical treatment.
The complaint says Jimenez was attempting a three-point turn when officer Eusebio Ortiz fired into his car, striking his back and shoulder. It alleges FBI agents then removed him from a hospital bed and took him to the shooting scene for questioning while he remained wounded. Bullet fragments remain near his lung, the suit says.
The case also raises questions about the evidence used to prosecute Jimenez. His lawsuit alleges an FBI agent falsely attributed statements to two neighbors about whether Jimenez could have driven forward. The neighbors later denied making those statements, according to the complaint.
Federal attorneys accused Jimenez of attacking a federal officer using his car. After a judge ordered the government to produce messages and agency activity records, Jimenez entered a diversion agreement, completed its conditions, and the indictment was dismissed with prejudice on November 2. The dismissal was not a finding on whether officers acted unlawfully.
DHS said the car reversed toward officers and that Ortiz fired defensive shots because he feared for his life. Jimenez’s lawyer says he was moving forward when shot. The lawsuit now seeks accountability for the shooting and the treatment that followed; its allegations have not been decided in court.
Jimenez Lawsuit Challenges ICE Shooting After Charges Were Dismissed
The lawsuit filed by Carlos Jimenez makes serious allegations against an ICE officer and FBI agents, but the criminal case ended through diversion—not a court finding that federal officers acted unlawfully. Jimenez completed the agreement’s conditions, and the indictment was dismissed with prejudice on November 2.
Jimenez says officer Eusebio Ortiz shot him while he was trying to turn his vehicle around near an immigration operation. DHS gave a different account at the time, saying the car reversed toward officers and Ortiz fired defensive shots because he feared for his life. Jimenez’s lawyer disputes that description.
The complaint seeks more than $25 million and alleges an unjustified shooting, unlawful detention, improper prosecution and inadequate medical treatment. It also accuses an FBI agent of misrepresenting what two neighbors said. Those claims remain allegations in the lawsuit.
Federal prosecutors had charged Jimenez with assaulting an officer with his vehicle. A judge later ordered the government to provide messages and agency activity documents requested by Jimenez’s attorneys. Prosecutors said Jimenez requested diversion and that they sought dismissal after he fulfilled its terms.
The lawsuit argues the prosecution and evidence were improper, including alleging prosecutors sought to avoid disclosure and questioning of an FBI agent. The dismissal itself did not resolve those accusations or determine whether the shooting was justified. Jimenez is seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other damages.
Reported by Newsweek, The Guardian.
