UPDATE:
The alleged illegal alien with multiple convictions involved in Thursday morning’s incident surrendered to the FBI late Thursday, early Friday, NewsChannel 5 reported:
The FBI took the undocumented immigrant into custody after he surrendered. He is receiving medical treatment at a Nashville hospital. ICE officials say he has multiple prior convictions in Davidson County, some of which are violent convictions.
ICE spokesperson Bryan Cox told NewsChannel 5 that this is an example of how Nashville’s policy of not cooperating with ICE could be dangerous to the community.
ORIGINAL STORY Thursday, 9 pm:
An FBI spokesman confirmed Thursday the agency is investigating the potential assault of a federal agent after an alleged fugitive hit an ICE officer with a vehicle in Antioch, outside Nashville.
Federal Bureau of Investigation spokesman Joel Siskovic told The Tennessee Star the agency had no other statement apart from confirming the investigation.
The individual involved is still wanted, and the FBI is still trying to determine what exactly occurred, Siskovic said.
VIDEO: @NC5 obtained video of the incident involving an ICE agent firing at a box truck with a man he tried to arrest. Federal officials say this was a possible assault on an ICE agent. STORY: https://t.co/9iHR9TBkQg pic.twitter.com/rswfIwqHNL
— Matthew Torres (@News_MTorres) September 5, 2019
The FBI’s Memphis field office is working the case.
The two men running for Nashville mayor were quick to offer comment.
Incumbent Mayor David Briley weighed in on his Facebook page.
“What happened in Antioch this morning is a direct result of our federal government’s inability to arrive at comprehensive immigration reform,” Briley said.
“These events are unacceptable — in Nashville or anywhere else.”
Briley said members of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department were not aware of any criminal warrant, and they were “looking for the victim only so that he may receive any needed medical assistance.”
Cooper told The Tennessean the report of the shooting left him “deeply concerned.”
“I understand that MNPD did not take part in the ICE operation and is now searching for the injured person,” the paper quoted Cooper as saying.
“We won’t know exactly what happened until more details are forthcoming. However, I applaud our police officers for their restraint and for the assistance they are providing.”
MNPD Spokesman Don Aaron told The Star in an emailed statement that Nashville police officers were present at the scene, but had no other involvement.
“Nashville police officers were called to a parking lot on Richards Road by an immigration officer just after 7, and were informed that an immigration officer had fired his weapon while attempting to make an apprehension,” Aaron said.
“The Nashville PD was not involved except to protect the scene until the FBI and HSI could mobilize and begin the investigation.”
ICE representatives did not return a request for comment.
According to Time, “the driver started to drive in the direction of one of the agents after they identified themselves as ICE.”
The ICE officer then opened fire.
“ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which looks into all officer-involved shootings involving ICE, is also investigating,” CNN reported.
According to the Nashville-based FOX News 17, the person ICE tried to apprehend “apparently got into a white box truck and left the scene.”
“The box truck was later found with bullet holes, but no one was found inside,” according to the station.
According to the Nashville-based News Channel 5, the man federal agents are now looking for is a 39-year-old from Mexico who was previously deported.
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Anthony Gockowski and Zachery Schmidt contributed to this report.
[…] The Tennessee Star reported last week, the FBI is investigating the potential assault of a federal agent after an alleged fugitive hit an […]
if Briley wants to set a precedence for Metro PD not to assist federal law enforcement, I guess they will not have to respond to local bank robberies .Bravo, they will have more time to pass out coffee and hot coco on IS 24.
IF this had been a legal resident or citizen, their names would have been plastered all over the TV/Internet/Radio etc within HOURS..how is it a day and half and STILL we have NO INFORMATION on this CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN FELON who had been Deported MULTIPLE times before??
WHY the news blackout?? At least Phil Valentine is working on it!
It’s a damn shame that Nashville police are forced, by incompetent leaders , to turn their backs on fellow law enforcement officers.
Let something happen to me or my family by an illegal protected by Briley and I will end him.
If this run true to course the “victim” will be released – or heaven forbid, deported – only to break into America and commit more crimes.
Brisket, incompetence personified.
Briley is a moron.