Man Fleeing ICE Agents in Florida Killed by Semi-Truck, Third Such Death in a Week
A 28-year-old man died after darting into traffic near a St. Augustine gas station following an encounter with federal immigration officers.
A 28-year-old man fleeing ICE agents in St. Augustine, Florida, was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer Tuesday after darting across a busy road, according to Fox News. It was the third such death nationwide in a week tied to encounters with immigration enforcement, the outlet reported.
The Hill reported that four people inside a vehicle at a Wawa gas station ran off on foot following what officials described as "an encounter" with Homeland Security Investigations and ICE officers in the parking lot. One of the men fleeing was struck by the truck and died at the scene.
The death adds to a mounting toll of fatal incidents connected to the administration's expanded immigration enforcement operations, which have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and civil rights advocates in recent weeks. Details on the nature of the original encounter at the gas station, including why the men ran, have not been fully disclosed by authorities.
The incident occurred amid a broader pattern of confrontations between ICE agents and the public this year, including fatal shootings in other states, that has intensified political debate over the tactics used in immigration sweeps and the risks they pose to both agents and civilians who encounter them.
— Compiled from reporting by Fox News and The Hill.