On the morning of August 16th, shortly after 8 a.m., Francisco Longoria was on his way to deliver a water slide inflatable for his party supply business in a suburban neighborhood of Southern California. What began as a typical Saturday took a terrifying turn when three unmarked vehicles abruptly halted his truck, and four masked individuals emerged. Longoria, accompanied by his son Jonathan and son-in-law Daniel Rascon, feared they were being targeted for kidnapping. “I see what happens in Mexico,” he recounted in Spanish, expressing his dread at the situation. The masked individuals were agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Although they wore police uniforms, Longoria stated that they did not announce their identities. As the agents approached his vehicle with weapons drawn, the passengers began recording the encounter on their phones. One agent attempted to open the truck door and ordered Longoria to lower his window, but he lacked a warrant. When Longoria refused, the agent shattered the glass and struck him in the face. Another agent smashed the window on the front passenger side. With agents positioned on both sides of the truck and a clear path ahead, Longoria decided to accelerate. As he fled, one agent fired three shots, resulting in two bullet holes on the passenger side of the vehicle, with one bullet narrowly missing the back window. Rascon, seated in the rear, felt a surge of fear, thinking, “One of us is about to get killed.” Longoria recalled, “I was afraid for my life. I felt like death was imminent.” The entire incident unfolded within a minute, but it marked the beginning of a distressing ordeal for the family. The shooting occurred just blocks away from their home in San Bernardino, approximately 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Upon returning home minutes later, they immediately contacted the police to report the attack. Instead of assistance, Longoria found himself embroiled in a federal investigation, culminating in a nighttime raid on their residence, a felony charge alleging that he had weaponized his vehicle against officers, and several months in detention with ICE—only for the charges to be eventually dropped. Longoria is now publicly sharing his story as his family seeks justice for the trauma they endured. They have initiated a lawsuit against the federal government and the involved officers, claiming damages for physical and psychological injuries, lost wages, property damage, wrongful detention, public humiliation, and damage to their reputation. The lawsuit contends that the officers “attempted to kill” them by firing shots contrary to CBP’s use of force policy, which prohibits shooting at a fleeing vehicle unless there is a reasonable belief that deadly force is being used against them or others. “No legitimate law enforcement purpose justified the use of deadly force under these circumstances,” the lawsuit asserts. Additionally, it claims that the officers disregarded a temporary restraining order issued by a California judge that forbade targeting individuals based solely on race, language, or occupation. Longoria expressed uncertainty about the reasons for the agents’ stop, suspecting it may have been due to racial profiling. The family continues to grapple with the psychological effects of their experience. “What I have lived through, I don’t wish that upon others,” he stated. This incident occurred during a particularly charged period in their largely Latino neighborhood of San Bernardino, which has a population exceeding 200,000, with approximately a quarter of residents born outside the U.S. Under the Trump administration, which was known for its hardline stance on immigration, aggressive raids were conducted across the country, with Southern California being an early focus. Federal agents apprehended over 4,000 individuals from June to August of the previous year, with immigrant advocates asserting that many were targeted based on their appearance, accents, or occupations. Reports of excessive force by federal officers have also surfaced, leading to injuries and fatalities, including the deaths of individuals like Rene Good and Alex Pretti. Longoria’s experience is part of a troubling trend; since the onset of the Trump administration, ICE has reportedly fired on at least 30 individuals. Following acts of violence by its agents, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE and CBP, often blames the victims for allegedly using their vehicles as weapons against officers, with many such charges ultimately dismissed. This month, ICE agents were involved in the shootings of two men in their vehicles in Texas and Maine. Subsequently, ICE temporarily halted most vehicle stops, a decision that was quickly reversed by the Trump administration. The legal representatives for the Longoria family are urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to launch a criminal investigation. Greg Jackson, a partner and managing attorney at the Simon Law Group, remarked, “It was an illegal stop. They saw brown people in a truck and decided to exercise their perceived authority over them.” DHS did not provide a response to inquiries from the Guardian regarding the Longoria family’s lawsuit or the allegations surrounding the shooting prior to publication. Longoria, a sociable individual with a passion for gardening who immigrated from Mexico, has spent over 24 years establishing his life in Southern California. He and his wife own a single-story residence in San Bernardino, where they reside with their children and son-in-law. Their home is adorned with photographs from graduations and quinceañeras, and a crucifix is prominently displayed by the front door. Longoria, a devout Catholic, has supported his family through his party rental business while also working in warehouses and restaurants. After the shooting, Longoria promptly called 911 upon returning home, expecting the San Bernardino police would provide assistance. However, the outcome of that day would lead to a series of events that would change their lives forever.