An undocumented immigrant with a background in hit-and-run incidents is currently evading capture after allegedly crashing his vehicle into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) car in Pennsylvania and firing at federal agents, as reported by authorities on Wednesday.
ICE agents were attempting to apprehend Clemente Lara Hernandez, a Mexican national, in Harrisburg around 6:15 a.m. when he resisted arrest, according to ICE.
At one moment during the encounter, authorities mentioned that Lara Hernandez “turned his vehicle into a weapon” by ramming into the ICE vehicle.
“The illegal alien then drove the wrong way on a one-way street, colliding with a civilian vehicle,” stated an ICE spokesperson.
During the situation, an ICE officer discharged their weapon, resulting in another officer being injured in the hand, but thankfully no one else seemed to have been harmed. As it stands, Lara Hernandez is still on the run.
The FBI is taking the lead on the investigation. A spokesperson from the Harrisburg Police Department clarified that their role was limited to securing the area following the incident.
While the FBI has responded to the scene, they mentioned, “Per Department of Justice policy, we cannot comment on the nature of any investigation that may or may not occur.”
Lara Hernandez’s criminal history, which includes assaults and domestic violence alongside hit-and-runs, has raised concerns. ICE has observed a troubling spike in attacks against its officers nationwide.
According to a statement from ICE, their law enforcement personnel are encountering a staggering increase in assaults, with reports indicating a more than 1,300% rise in such incidents, over 3,300% increase in vehicular attacks, and an alarming 8,000% increase in death threats.
