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San Bernardino family claims federal agents shot at truck [1]

['Amber Frias', 'Helen Jeong']

Date: 2025-08-16 17:58:56+00:00

One vehicle stop, two different accounts of how it unfolded and led to a shooting.

While a San Bernardino family said masked federal agents opened fire at the family's truck, officials said they had to shoot in self defense because the family's car ran down a couple of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents.

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Their account of the interaction started off similar: The family said the agents from unmarked vehicles surrounded its truck in the area of Acacia Avenue and Baseline Street Saturday morning as it was returning home from work

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also confirmed that the agents attempted a vehicle stop during a "targeted enforcement operation."

But the story takes a different turn as the parties were on a brief standoff.

In the cellphone video shot from inside the truck, the family could be heard demanding identification from the agents. Despite the agents' attempt to force the people to get out of the truck, everyone stayed inside. The video then captured the agents shattering car windows.

The slow motion version of the video showed the agents' arm reaching through the broken windows. Seconds later, the driver hit the gas and sped off with screeching tires followed by three loud pops.

The Department of the Homeland security confirmed the popping sound was indeed gun shots. But the federal officials had to open fire, the DHS said, because the driver tried to "run (the agents) down" with the truck, eventually striking two CBP agents.

"In the course of the incident the suspect drove his car at the officers and struck two CBP officers with his vehicle. Because of the subjects forcing a CBP officer to discharge his firearm in self-defense," a spokesperson for the department told NBC Los Angeles.

The family said the masked men did not identify themselves and did not provide any judicial warrants. The DHS did not say whether the agents had warrants.

The bullet holes on the side of the truck as well as shattered windows provided a glimpse into the altercation.

"I had to protect my life and my family," the driver, who identified himself as Francisco, told NBC Los Angeles. "My truck was shot three times."

The entire family is shaken by what happened, according to Martin, Francisco's son-in-law, who was also in the truck.

“Its just upsetting that it happened to us," Martin said. "I am glad my brother is okay, Pop is okay, but it's just not cool that ICE is able to do something like that.”

The same cellphone footage, however, did not show how the group of men stopped the family or did not demonstrate why or how it was pulled over. It also did not show the driver's alleged attempt to run down the federal agents.

The San Bernardino Police Department also confirmed the shooting, saying its officers responded to the area after receiving reports of shots being fired. The responding officers were told by federal agents that there was indeed an officer shooting, and that the "involved suspect had fled the scene in the vehicle," according to San Bernardino police.

San Bernardino police officers were later asked to support federal agents again when they went to Francisco's home on Mt. View Drive to arrest him but clashed with community members outside.

At least one person from the crowd was arrested by San Bernardino police for assaulting a federal officer.

"(It's) another terrible example of California's pro-sanctuary policies in action that shield criminals instead of protecting communities," the federal agency added.

Francisco and Martin avoided being detained.

While San Bernardino police were not allowed to cooperate with the federal investigation due to California's sanctuary status, they provided support for the non-immigration-related arrest, the police department said.

Under the use-of-force guidance issued on Feb. 6, 2023 for Department of Homeland Security officials, law enforcement officers may use force when "reasonable effective, safe and feasible alternative appears to exist."

It was not immediately clear how severely the two agents were injured.

The DHS did not say for what Francisco was initially stopped.

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[1] Url: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/san-bernardino-family-claims-federal-agents-shot-at-truck-shattered-windows/3765321/

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