MANAHAWKIN, NJ – A major manhunt is underway in Ocean County after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent was struck and injured by a fleeing suspect during a targeted vehicle stop on Monday morning.
The Encounter on Route 72
The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. on Monday, June 15, along Route 72 near Mermaid Drive in Stafford Township’s Manahawkin community.
According to federal authorities, ICE officers were attempting to execute an arrest warrant for Friedrich Castillo-Ormeno, a Peruvian national who had been issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on January 30, 2026.
Surveillance footage from the scene shows multiple unmarked vehicles surrounding a white van at a red light. As agents exited their vehicles to approach, the driver abruptly accelerated, weaponizing the vehicle to force his way through the blockade.
Agent Injured, Opens Fire
Witnesses described a tense standoff right before the driver accelerated. A local resident reported seeing the front of the van pin the lower half of the agent’s body against an officer’s car.
“You just see the guy’s body just get twisted… in that twist, you know, he then pulled out his gun and shot at the van,” witness Payton Johnson told reporters.
The struck agent discharged his weapon as the vehicle fled, reportedly shattering the van’s rear window. The injured officer was transported to a local hospital and is expected to recover.
Ongoing Search and Investigation
The driver managed to flee the scene and remains at large. Local and federal authorities, including the FBI, are actively searching for the white van and the suspect.
An ICE spokesperson released a statement noting a disturbing rise in vehicle-related assaults against personnel, citing a significant increase in such attacks nationwide.
The Stafford Township Police Department assisted with traffic management and securing the crime scene on Route 72 but clarified that they are not investigating the shooting, as it occurred during a federal operation.
