Cynthia Santiago condemns the shooting
Cynthia SantiagoAttorney for Carlos Jimenez
Santiago argued that Jimenez was trying to leave a frightening encounter and that the agents’ approach and use of deadly force were unjustified.
“Then there was a shot from the side, back passenger window, to the car. Use of deadly force is to be used as a last resort. Coming out to communities with guns drawn is the opposite.”
Reporting
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was ICE Officer Eusebio Ortiz justified in shooting Carlos Jimenez?
On October 30, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation officer Eusebio Ortiz fired a shot that struck U.S. citizen Carlos Jimenez in the shoulder during an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario, California. A federal complaint alleged that Jimenez rapidly reversed his Lexus toward a Customs and Border Protection officer and a stopped Honda, causing the officer to fear a collision. Jimenez's attorneys said he was maneuvering away after warning agents that schoolchildren would soon arrive at a nearby bus stop, and that the bullet entered through the rear passenger window and struck his back shoulder. A federal court later ordered production of officer communications and use-of-force policies. The parties then entered a diversion agreement under which prosecutors may seek dismissal with prejudice after October 31, 2026. The dispute is whether Jimenez's vehicle posed an imminent threat when Ortiz fired.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Los Angeles Times follow-up reporting presenting the account and legal assessment of Carlos Jimenez’s attorneys Cynthia Santiago and Robert Simon.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
ABC News reports the competing government and defense accounts. Jimenez's lawyers said he was maneuvering around the officers and leaving after warning about arriving schoolchildren; DHS said the officer fired defensive shots while fearing for his life.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Santiago said Jimenez became afraid after a masked agent drew a gun and shook pepper spray at him.
After the quotation
She later described the episode as horrendous and blamed inadequate training and escalating violence in the community.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
She explicitly contrasts the shooting with the last-resort standard for deadly force and criticizes the agents’ armed approach.
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More from this case
Read the full caseGreg Jackson calls the Jimenez shooting unlawful
“their agreement to dismiss with prejudice bolsters our own argument that the shooting itself was unlawful and the charges against Mr. Jimenez entirely fabricated and baseless. The shooter, Agent Ortiz, violated department policy by firing his weapon at a moving vehicle, and Mr. Jimenez was in fact complying with Mr. Ortiz’s orders to drive away when Mr. Ortiz tried to murder him and shot him anyway.”Read statement
Chad Pennington calls Ortiz’s force improper
“This case is yet another matter stemming from an aggressive ICE traffic stop and interaction with the public that resulted in catastrophic consequences and the subsequent filing of an unsupportable criminal charge. Indeed, this case fits a recent and endemic national pattern of ICE using aggressive traffic stop techniques and then employing the improper use of near-lethal force against an American citizen.”Read statement
Ayah Sarsour calls Ortiz’s force improper
“This case is yet another matter stemming from an aggressive ICE traffic stop and interaction with the public that resulted in catastrophic consequences and the subsequent filing of an unsupportable criminal charge. Indeed, this case fits a recent and endemic national pattern of ICE using aggressive traffic stop techniques and then employing the improper use of near-lethal force against an American citizen.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Cynthia Santiago condemns the shooting". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1475-santiago-argued-that-jimenez-was-trying-to-leave