A 72-year-old man shot and wounded an off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent early Friday morning after the agent allegedly assaulted the man and his daughter at their home, the Fresno Police Department reported. The agent, identified as David Gonzalez, was taken into custody and is facing multiple felony charges while receiving medical treatment for a gunshot wound.
According to a statement from Fresno police, the incident began around 3 a.m. when a woman discovered Gonzalez asleep on the front lawn of the home she shares with her father. After she informed her father, they attempted to wake Gonzalez and ask him to leave the property.
Authorities said that upon being awakened, Gonzalez “appeared intoxicated and agitated.” He then allegedly physically assaulted the 72-year-old homeowner, forcing him to the ground. When the man’s daughter intervened, Gonzalez also physically attacked her, according to the police report.
Police stated that the father, “fearing for his and his daughter’s physical safety,” retrieved a firearm and shot Gonzalez once in the midsection. Shortly after the shooting, the daughter’s boyfriend, an off-duty police officer, arrived at the scene and placed Gonzalez in handcuffs until Fresno police officers responded.
The Fresno Police Department confirmed that Gonzalez was off-duty and alone at the time of the incident. The reason for his presence in the neighborhood is currently unknown and part of the ongoing investigation.
Gonzalez was transported to a local hospital for medical care. He was later booked on charges of battery likely to cause great bodily injury, felony vandalism, and battery. The 72-year-old resident and his daughter were not arrested. Police noted they were recovering from injuries sustained during the altercation.
The Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of ICE, referred all inquiries regarding the incident and Gonzalez’s employment status to the Fresno Police Department. The investigation remains active.
