Calls for Investigation Mount After ICE Fatally Shoots Father in Franklin Park
Calls for Investigation Mount After ICE Fatally Shoots Father in Franklin Park
A fatal shooting by federal immigration agents in Franklin Park on Friday has ignited a fierce debate and prompted immediate calls for a full investigation. The victim, identified Saturday as Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, was reportedly shot just minutes after dropping his child off at school, according to U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill.
Villegas-Gonzalez, a cook from Michoacán, Mexico, was killed during what Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) described as “targeted law enforcement activity.” The agency alleges that Villegas-Gonzalez attempted to flee a traffic stop, striking and dragging an officer with his vehicle before another agent fired. He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The injured ICE officer, who suffered severe back injuries, hand lacerations, and significant knee tears, has since been released from the hospital. However, the circumstances surrounding the shooting are facing intense scrutiny. The Mexican consulate has reached out to Villegas-Gonzalez’s family and is requesting more details from ICE regarding the incident.
Rep. Ramirez and other elected officials have publicly committed to demanding a comprehensive investigation into the shooting. Manuel Cardenas, a lawyer who previously represented Villegas-Gonzalez, vehemently denied any characterization of his former client as violent, describing him as a “working man” who was likely “startled.” Cook County court records corroborate this, showing Villegas-Gonzalez’s record consisted primarily of minor traffic infractions, with no history of violent criminal behavior.
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