Topline
A 28-year-old man died after being struck by a truck while attempting to run away from an encounter with federal immigration agents in St. Augustine, Florida, marking the third fatality linked to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown this month after two deadly shootings by ICE agents in Maine and Texas during traffic stops.
Key Facts
A Florida Highway Patrol official told various outlets that the incident occurred early Tuesday morning at a gas station in St. Augustine during an encounter with agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.
Four people fled their vehicle during the encounter, and one of them was killed while attempting to run across Florida’s State Road 16 and was hit by a tractor-trailer.
The Department of Homeland Security told the New York Times and CNN that its agents were carrying out an operation that resulted in the death of a Mexican national and Homeland Security Investigations is working with highway patrol to investigate the incident.
The fate and identities of the three others who fled the scene have not been made public and it’s unclear if all four people—including the deceased individual—were being targeted by ICE.
According to the Miami Herald, the tractor-trailer driver stopped his vehicle after the accident and attempted to help the victim.
What Do We Know About Recent ICE-Linked Fatalities?
Last week, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Texas while he was driving a van with three other passengers. Federal Immigration officials alleged that Salgado Araujo “weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer, resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense.” It was later disclosed that the 52-year-old was not the intended target of the enforcement operation. On Monday, Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old father from Colombia, was shot and killed by ICE agents during a traffic stop. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said he was told by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that Guerrero was not the intended target of the officers’ warrant. However, officials also accused the 26-year-old of weaponizing his vehicle. Both incidents have triggered protests and calls for independent investigations.
Tangent
According to multiple reports, ICE is temporarily pausing most traffic stops after the two deadly shootings in the past two weeks. The pause has been enacted to provide ICE agents with additional training on handling vehicle stops. However, the pause won’t affect vehicle stops involving serious criminal offenders. Citing an unnamed senior official, The Atlantic reported that the agent involved in the Maine shooting was hired by ICE earlier this year from the Department of Veterans Affairs Police.
further reading
Mexican man is killed by truck as he flees immigration agents in St. Augustine (Miami Herald)
ICE Pausing Most Vehicle Stops After Deadly Shootings In Maine And Texas (Forbes)