ICE officer faces multiple felony charges after assaulting homeowner and daughter in Fresno
A Fresno County district attorney has charged ICE officer David Gonzalez III with assault, elder abuse, vandalism and battery after an incident in which he allegedly attacked a 72-year-old homeowner and the homeowner’s daughter.
Fresno County prosecutors announced Tuesday that 32-year-old David Gonzalez III, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, has been charged with assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, elder abuse, vandalism and battery. The charges stem from an early-morning incident on Oct. 9 in the Tower District, where police found Gonzalez handcuffed with a gunshot wound after reports of gunfire.
According to a district attorney news release, an unnamed woman returned home to find Gonzalez sleeping on her front lawn. When her father attempted to remove him, Gonzalez allegedly became intoxicated and aggressive, assaulting the homeowner and throwing him into a neighbor’s parked Hyundai, causing more than $400 in damage. The woman intervened and was also attacked, prompting the homeowner to fire a single shot at Gonzalez. An off-duty police officer, identified as the woman’s boyfriend, subsequently placed Gonzalez in handcuffs.
Gonzalez remains hospitalized while in custody, with bail set at $52,000. His arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday at Fresno County Superior Court. City Councilmember Miguel Arias, whose district includes the Tower District, said the charges appear to be the “bare minimum” and urged the district attorney to hold the ICE officer accountable.
“We’re hopeful, but we’re not going to hold our breath until we see the conclusion,” Arias said.
The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to inquiries about Gonzalez’s employment status with ICE.