A 72-year-old Fresno father shot an off-duty immigration agent who police say beat him and attacked his daughter after the family found the agent asleep on their front lawn.
Story Highlights
- Before dawn on Friday, October 9, a woman in central Fresno, California, found a stranger asleep on her family’s front lawn, police say.
- Police say the man, David Gonzalez, 32, a federal immigration agent from Texas, was drunk and beat the woman’s 72-year-old father, then attacked her.
- The father, who police say legally had the gun, shot Gonzalez once; the daughter’s boyfriend, an off-duty police officer, handcuffed him.
- Gonzalez is accused of felony assault and is in custody. The father is not facing charges.
Why the Father Fired
Police say the father fired because he “feared for the physical safety of both himself and his daughter.” He is not facing charges “based on information established during the investigation,” police said. Gonzalez was off duty, meaning he was not working at the time, and police say he was alone. Police have not said why he was in the neighborhood.
Gonzalez works for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, the federal agency that enforces immigration laws and carries out deportations. Fresno police say ICE officials have contacted the department and opened a personnel investigation, which is an internal review of the agent’s conduct. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not answer reporters’ requests for comment on Friday.
Police Account: A Wake-Up Call Turns Violent
It happened before 3:30 a.m. at a home near Dudley and Broadway in central Fresno. Police say the woman found the man sleeping on the lawn and went inside to tell her father. He went outside “to send Gonzalez on his way,” police said.
“When Gonzalez was awakened, he appeared intoxicated and agitated,” said Fresno police Lt. Brian Pierce. Police say Gonzalez then beat the 72-year-old, “causing him several visible injuries.” When the daughter tried to step in, “Gonzalez physically attacked her, at which time she went to the ground,” police said.
The father then pulled out a gun and fired one shot, hitting Gonzalez in the midsection. The daughter called her boyfriend, an off-duty police officer, who came to the house and handcuffed Gonzalez.
Where the Case Stands
Gonzalez was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Local reports Friday night listed him in serious condition and later in stable condition. He is in police custody on suspicion of felony assault, which means a serious assault charge that can bring prison time. According to local reports, he will be booked into the Fresno County Jail once he leaves the hospital. Fresno police say their investigation is ongoing.
The case drew a sharp response from Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi, who called on ICE to suspend its operations in California’s Central Valley. “Enough is enough,” Karbassi said. “We’ve endured days of fear-stricken enforcement that has now tilted into full-bore violence.”
Why This Matters for Families at Home
Police say a father faced a sudden attack on his own lawn, with his daughter knocked to the ground. He used a gun he legally had and stopped the attack with one shot. Investigators say the facts supported his decision, and he faces no charges. For families, and for older homeowners in particular, the case shows how fast a strange moment at the front door can turn dangerous, and how the law treats a person who acts to protect his family.
Sources:
abc30.com, abcnews.com, newsweek.com, fresnoland.org, kmph.com, yahoo.com, kvpr.org
