A law enforcement official sustained injuries Sunday afternoon after a man allegedly drove a van towards officers and rammed their vehicles during an operation in Charlotte, as immigration raids took place across the North Carolina city.
The suspect — a U.S. citizen — accelerated his van at officers carrying out an enforcement operation near the University City area, according to an X post from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The driver then fled, leading to a “dangerous high-speed chase through a densely populated area” before agents were able to box him in, DHS said.
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“During the chase, he attempted to ram into law enforcement vehicles — creating a serious public safety threat,” DHS said in a statement. “As agents were boxing him in — the driver then rammed law enforcement vehicles in an attempt to get away.”
One officer was injured during the incident, according to DHS.
Following the suspect’s arrest, agents found a firearm inside the van, officials confirmed.
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“The perpetrator has previous arrests for resisting law enforcement, public disturbance and intoxication/ disruptive conduct,” according to DHS.
The encounter happened as federal agents began a major immigration enforcement operation in Charlotte over the weekend.
U.S. Border Patrol agents were reportedly seen on Saturday making arrests across the city of more than 900,000 residents, according to the Associated Press.
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The operation is part of a federal effort to ensure “Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed,” according to DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The operation follows months after the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, on a Charlotte light-rail train.
It also follows similar immigration enforcement raids recently conducted in California, Illinois, Oregon and New York.
DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
