Illinois police investigate injury of U.S. citizen after encounter with alleged federal agents
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Chicago-area police are probing an incident in which a man was detained by individuals claiming to be federal agents, resulting in head, neck and dental injuries, before he was released and taken to a hospital.
Police in Evanston, Illinois responded to a dispute shortly before 10 a.m. on Sunday and found a man on the ground with injuries to his head, neck and teeth, surrounded by bystanders offering assistance. Officers questioned a man in a plain-clothes vest marked “police” who said he was a federal agent conducting a fugitive investigation. According to the police statement, the agent said agents had tried to identify a suspect, detained the man for fingerprinting after he refused to provide identification, and later discovered he was a U.S. citizen and released him. An officer observed blood on the agent’s hands and was told the agent was injured while attempting to handcuff the individual.
Witnesses reported that the individuals attempting the arrest appeared to be ICE agents, though the statement did not specify the agency. The agent indicated that five federal agents were operating in the area in unmarked vehicles and that they possessed a warrant for a person with a Chicago address. He added that the agents left after protesters gathered, fearing an attack. Police later contacted the injured man, an adult Evanston resident, at a hospital, photographed and documented his injuries. The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment.
The incident occurred on the same day ICE shot a man in Austin, Texas, during a traffic stop, prompting calls for an independent investigation. Both events have drawn attention to the federal immigration enforcement approach under the current administration.