Who is Carlos Jimenez? California man shot by an ICE agent in 2025 sues federal govt for $25m, says FBI forcefully took him to scene of shooting while a bullet was lodged in his body

A US citizen who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in California has filed a $25m lawsuit against the federal government, alleging that he was wrongfully shot and arrested. Carlos Jimenez, a father of three from Ontario city in southern California, was on his way to work when the incident occurred on October 30 last year.

What happened on the day of the shooting?

According to Jimenez's complaint filed in federal court on Friday, it was around 7 am when Jimenez drove by ICE agents carrying out an operation. He approached the officers "calmly" to inform them that children in the neighborhood would soon be arriving at an adjacent bus stop, the complaint stated.


But an ICE officer, identified as Eusebio Ortiz, pointed his firearm at Jimenez’s face, cursed at him, and threatened to shoot if he did not leave, the complaint said citing audio recorded by the officer’s radio, according to The Guardian.

Jimenez complied and attempted to turn his vehicle, but Ortiz fired several gunshots into the car without warning, hitting Jimenez in the back and his right shoulder, the complaint stated. There was no officer in Jimenez’s path when he was shot, according to the lawsuit.

FBI agents allegedly interfered with treatment

The complaint added that FBI agents followed Jimenez to a hospital and interfered with his treatment, including by pulling a nurse away and preventing him from talking to medical staff. FBI agents removed Jimenez from his hospital bed, locked him in a waist restraint, and drove him back to the scene of the shooting for an "interrogation" even as a bullet remained lodged in his body.

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said at the time that Jimenez had "attempted to run officers over by reversing directly at them without stopping" and that the officer had fired shots in self-defense.

The Department of Justice charged Jimenez with assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon. Jimenez's lawsuit says the charge was "fabricated". The charges against Jimenez were dismissed last week.

What is Jimenez seeking through the suit?

Jimenez's lawsuit seeks damages for lost pay and medical bills, saying that he still has bullet fragments lodged near his lung. The suit has alleged excessive force, assault, false arrest, and other violations, seeking more than $25m in damages.

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Norma Torres has demanded more transparency about the case, including release of all concerned audio and video.

"We still deserve answers about why he was shot, how the ICE agents involved conducted themselves, and whether those agents faced any disciplinary action for their dangerous and aggressive conduct," Torres said, according to the Los Angeles Times.