FRANKLIN PARK, Ill. — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation turned deadly Friday morning when an agent shot and killed a man after authorities said he attempted to drive into officers during an arrest attempt.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified the man as Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, who officials said had previously been cited for reckless driving. DHS added that his entry date into the United States was unknown.
How the Incident Unfolded
According to ICE, the confrontation began during what officials described as “targeted law enforcement activity” in Franklin Park, roughly 15 miles northwest of Chicago near O’Hare International Airport.
ICE’s statement said: “During a vehicle stop, the suspect resisted and attempted to drive his vehicle into the arrest team, striking an officer and subsequently dragging him as he fled the scene. Fearing for his life, the officer discharged his firearm and struck the subject.”
The situation ended when Villegas-Gonzalez crashed his Subaru into a truck on Grand Avenue. Video shared online by the truck driver showed the mangled vehicle wedged under the trailer, with two officers tending to Villegas-Gonzalez on the ground. Both he and the ICE agent were transported to a local hospital, where Villegas-Gonzalez died. ICE confirmed the agent suffered “severe injuries” from being dragged by the vehicle but has since stabilized.
Surveillance and Witness Accounts
Surveillance footage from a nearby nail salon captured part of the encounter. The video shows ICE agents arriving in a Jeep with flashing lights and approaching the Subaru. One officer moved to the driver’s side while another approached the passenger side. As the passenger-side officer appeared to tug at the door, the Subaru suddenly reversed, then accelerated forward, escaping the view of the camera.
Another camera from a nearby business recorded the Subaru changing lanes just before gunshots were heard, followed by the collision with the truck.
Jose Pedro De Blas, who works at an auto body shop in the area, said he initially thought it was an ordinary traffic accident until he saw the heavy federal law enforcement presence. “I even saw a guy with a large FBI jacket, and you only see those at the movies,” he said. He also expressed concern over the fear many immigrant families feel: “I think it’s unfortunate right now that people from all over the world are running away from ICE, scared from ICE. I totally get their point, why they’re running away.”
Conflicting Perspectives
While DHS maintains the shooting was justified because of the threat to the agent’s life, Villegas-Gonzalez’s girlfriend, Blanca Mora, voiced skepticism. Speaking through an interpreter, she said she believes ICE is misrepresenting what happened and called for accountability.
Community leaders are also demanding answers. U.S. Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL), who represents Franklin Park, said he was “shocked” by the death and called for the release of all surveillance and body camera footage. “The community needs to know the facts. The public needs to know what transpired. Was there a warrant issued for his detention? Was there a basis for his being pulled over this morning? He had just dropped off two children at a local school,” Garcia said.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also weighed in, posting on X that the public deserves a “full, factual accounting” of the incident to ensure transparency.
Ongoing Investigations
The FBI’s Chicago field office confirmed it is assisting in the investigation, though it said there is currently “no threat to public safety.”
The shooting comes as federal agents have been ramping up immigration enforcement under what the Trump administration has labeled “Operation Midway Blitz,” a coordinated crackdown across the Midwest.
As investigations continue, the Franklin Park community is left grappling with the aftermath of a federal enforcement action that ended in violence, raising broader questions about the methods and oversight of immigration arrests in residential neighborhoods.
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