By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot out the tires of a suspect’s vehicle in Roxbury, New Jersey, after it struck a federal law enforcement vehicle and attempted to run over an officer.
• The incident occurred Tuesday morning during an attempted arrest of 25-year-old Jesus Fabian Lopez-Banegas, a man subject to a federal removal order.
• No injuries were reported and Lopez-Banegas was taken into ICE custody following the tire shots.
• Lopez-Banegas has a criminal history that includes drug trafficking, drug possession and driving-under-the-influence charges.
• The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General is “actively investigating” the firearm discharge alongside local law enforcement.
ROXBURY, NJ — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot out the tires of a pickup truck Tuesday morning after the vehicle struck a law enforcement cruiser and attempted to run over a federal officer during an arrest attempt, officials said.
The incident took place on Kings Road in the Landing section of Roxbury Township while ICE agents were attempting to arrest 25-year-old Jesus Fabian Lopez-Banegas, a Honduran national subject to a 2021 federal order of removal.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the pickup truck hit a law enforcement vehicle and “weaponized” itself in an attempt to run over an ICE officer. An ICE officer fired at the vehicle’s tires to stop the threat, disabling the truck.
No injuries were reported in the incident, and Lopez-Banegas was taken into federal custody at the scene, DHS said. His criminal history includes drug trafficking, drug possession and driving under the influence charges.
The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General said it is actively investigating the shooting incident, and local, county and federal partners are cooperating. Authorities have asked the public to share any video footage or additional information with investigators.