A person targeted during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement traffic stop dragged an ICE officer with a vehicle while resisting arrest in a Chicago suburb Friday morning, prompting the officer to fatally shoot the person and leaving the officer with injuries, the Department of Homeland Security said.
The slain target of the stop, Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, was an undocumented immigrant with a history of reckless driving, according to DHS. The officer, whose name was not immediately released, suffered severe injuries but is in stable condition, a DHS official told CNN.
The traffic stop happened in Franklin Park, a community about 15 miles west of downtown Chicago, the DHS official said.
“We are praying for the speedy recovery of our law enforcement officer. He followed his training, used appropriate force, and properly enforced the law to protect the public and law enforcement,” Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in a release. “Viral social media videos and activists encouraging illegal aliens to resist law enforcement not only spread misinformation, but also undermine public safety, as well as the safety of our officers and those being apprehended.”
During the stop, Villegas-Gonzalez “drove his car at law enforcement officers,” DHS said in the release.
“One of the ICE officers was hit by the car and dragged a significant distance. Fearing his own life, the officer fired his weapon,” the release reads.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
