STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A federal immigration agent was hit by a vehicle and then fired his weapon Monday morning while trying to make an arrest in southern New Jersey, according to police.
The confrontation unfolded at about 9:30 a.m. on Route 72 near Mermaid Drive in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township.
Stafford Township police said the incident began when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent attempted to take a person into custody. Investigators said the individual then drove away, allegedly striking the agent with the vehicle.
Police said the agent fired at the fleeing vehicle and appears to have hit it. The driver left the area, and authorities have not said whether that person was hurt.
The ICE agent was injured in the encounter, police said. The extent of those injuries has not been released.
In a statement, the Stafford Township Police Department said it was not involved in the federal operation. “Stafford Township Police adheres to the Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive and was not assisting or a part of the I.C.E. operation,” the department said. “The ongoing investigation is not being conducted by Stafford Township Police. Our role at this point is to manage traffic and secure the crime scene.”
An email seeking comment from Immigration and Customs Enforcement was not immediately returned. Photos posted online showed a masked agent sitting on the ground, leaning against a vehicle bumper, before being placed on a stretcher.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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