Reaction to ICE shooting in Patterson: What Stanislaus community leaders are saying
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ICE shooting in Patterson
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Local leaders and community members, in public statements or when reached by The Modesto Bee, mostly condemned the shooting of a man by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers Tuesday morning in Patterson.
Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez was shot by ICE agents in Patterson after he attempted to flee and used his SUV as a weapon, according to ICE. No agents were injured. Hernandez is in federal custody at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto and is in stable condition.
ICE reported that Hernandez is an 18th Street Gang member wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection with a murder. But records from the Salvadoran government show he was acquitted of aggravated homicide charges in 2019, and his family denies any gang affiliation.
The FBI is investigating the incident.
Maggie Mejia, treasurer of the nonprofit “Movimiento” Movement Community Committee (formerly called Cesar Chavez Community Celebration Committee), said seeing the news broke her heart, especially as a Patterson native. She said the incident reminded her of what happened in Minnesota, where Renée Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by ICE agents.
Mejia said Hernandez probably left El Salvador to get away from the gangs, as many do. “To Trump and his administration, they’re all criminals,” she said. “It saddens me that we’re getting to this point.”
The Central Valley Black Indigenous People of Color Coalition condemned the “reckless and violent actions” by ICE and called for those involved to be held accountable and fired.
“We reject the false and racist narrative that Mendoza Hernandez deserved to be attacked by immigration enforcement because of baseless accusations that he is a ‘gang member’ and ‘criminal,’” the CVBIPOCC stated. “Too often, Black and brown people are painted as criminals because of the color of their skin, inviting justification for violence against them. We refuse to fall for this vile and disgusting tactic that tries to divide us from our neighbors.”
Stanislaus County has seen at least 36 ICE arrests since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.
The Latino Community Roundtable, in a statement, demanded accountability and transparency. “While federal officials have already put forward a narrative, key facts remain unclear — and past incidents show those initial accounts can be incomplete or later challenged,” the statement reads. “Every person deserves due process and the presumption of innocence — determined in a court of law, not through force or unverified claims. Our community deserves truth, dignity, and justice for the individual harmed and their family.”
José R. Rodriguez, President and CEO of El Concilio California, which provides immigration legal services, called for a complete investigation into what happened. “We are opposed to this level of force being used by ICE,” he said in a statement.
Stanislaus County Supervisor Channce Condit, who represents Patterson, said it’s crucial that a thorough investigation is concluded soon. “As local officials, we have a responsibility to our community to demand accountability and ensure that the facts are clearly established and shared with the public,” Condit wrote in a statement.
Michael Masuda, a Democratic candidate hoping to unseat Tom McClintock in the 5th Congressional District, expressed sympathy for Hernandez’s family and called for a parallel investigation from the California Department of Justice in addition.
“I am horrified to see one of our neighbors gunned down by ICE agents in unmarked vehicles. As we await more details on Mr. Hernandez and the situation that unfolded, one thing is clear: our community is terrified, angry, hurt, and we have lost trust in our federal government,” Masuda wrote in a statement. “We have seen the lies that this administration spread about Kilmar Ábrego García and the false terrorism accusations hurled at Renée Good and Alex Pretti immediately after their murders. We are seeing the same accusations of gang affiliation from ICE without any evidence.”
Protest
Tuesday night, a protest was held outside Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, where Hernandez was taken after the shooting.
Two protesters were arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism and conspiracy to commit a crime after they allegedly used white paint to write “ICE out” on the street.
“We support the rights of individuals to exercise their constitutional rights to peacefully assemble and express their views. However, violence or criminal behavior, including the destruction of public or private property, will not be tolerated in our community,” stated Police Chief Brandon Gillespie.
This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 6:30 PM.
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