Undocumented immigrant shot in face by ICE officer on Thursday
An ICE officer opened fire on a man in Brooklyn on Thursday during a dispute. According to the police, the ICE officer shot a man in the face in an attempt to arrest him. The authorities confirmed that the shooting incident took place in the vicinity of West 12th Street near Highlawn Avenue in the Gravesend neighborhood.
ICE released a statement related to the shooting incident. According to the statement, the ICE officers were trying to arrest Gasper Avendano-Hernandez. Hernandez is a Mexican citizen and an undocumented immigrant. He has been removed twice from the US before when he physically attacked them. The officer shot Eric Diaz, a 26-year-old man.
Kevin Yanez Cruz was also present on the scene when the officer shot Diaz in the face. Cruz said, “He shoots my brother, shoots him right in the face.” He added that he had felt like an explosion when it happened. According to the authorities, Cruz is in stable condition. Diaz apparently tried to intervene as Avendano-Hernandez was dating his mother.
According to the statement, Avendano-Hernandez was arrested by the New York Police on Feb. 3 for possession of a forged instrument. “ICE tried to lodge an immigration detainer after his most recent arrest,” the statement said. Avendano-Hernandez was released from the local custody before ICE attempted to lodge a detainer. The release of the subject enforced ICE to locate him on the New York streets.
ICE has taken him into custody and transported him to the hospital. After the treatment, he will be back in custody of the agency. The Mexican consulate said that Avendano-Hernandez had been arrested by the ICE officers. He has been arrested twice before in 2016 and 2011. Two ICE officers and the subject were transported to the hospital, ICE said. The condition of the victim was quite serious. The shooting incident will be investigated by the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility.
