Tricia McLaughlin says the agent used appropriate force
Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs
“We are praying for the speedy recovery of our law enforcement officer. He followed his training, used appropriate force, and properly enforced the law to protect the public and law enforcement.”
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
DHS's contemporaneous account says Villegas González drove at officers, struck and dragged an ICE officer, and that an officer fired while fearing for his life. Direct access returned a 403 during this review; the wording was verified through the official Illinois Accountability Commission brief and Capitol News Illinois reporting.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
DHS said Villegas González drove at officers and dragged one agent a significant distance.
After the quotation
The department said the officer feared for his life and that the shooting was under review.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Was ICE justified in fatally shooting Silverio Villegas González?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
She expressly defends the shooting as an appropriate, trained response to a threat.
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Was ICE justified in fatally shooting Silverio Villegas González?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
More from this case
Read the full case“Whether it be the apartment raids in South Shore, the shooting of Marimar Martinez in Brighton Park, or the murder of Silverio Villegas González, it’s been proven that ICE does NOT keep us safe - they are designed to intimidate communities of color and deport as many people as possible.”Read statement
“In both cases, ICE has lied about the facts that led to these murders, just like they lied when they killed Silverio Villegas Gonzalez and shot Marimar Martinez in Chicago last year.”Read statement
Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus
“For eight long months, evidence suggesting this shooting was unjustified – from body camera footage contradicting the federal agent’s claims of severe injury to lack of evidence supporting claims that an agent was dragged – has circulated in the public sphere.”Read statement