(NewsNation) — Two migrants who are in the U.S. illegally were injured near Baltimore, Maryland, Wednesday when one of them drove a van at federal immigration officers, prompting authorities to fire at the vehicle, officials said.
The incident unfolded around 11 a.m. local time in the town of Glen Burnie as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were conducting an operation, Anne Arundel County police said in a statement.
When ICE officers approached a white van, the vehicle attempted to run them over, officials said, and the officers fired shots at the vehicle. The van reportedly came to a rest nearby.
Injured in the incident were the driver, Portuguese national Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins, who was struck by gunfire, and his passenger, Salvadoran national Solomon Antonio Serrano-Esquivel, who was hurt in the subsequent crash, an ICE spokesperson said.
“Officers rendered immediate medical aid to both the driver of the vehicle and the passenger, who were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Both are in stable condition and expected to recover,” the agency said.
Before the shooting, ICE officers had positively identified Sousa-Martins, who is in the U.S. illegally, and had instructed him to turn the van’s engine off, officials said. Instead, he “weaponized” the van by ramming it into ICE vehicles and driving toward ICE officers, the spokesperson said.
Serrano-Esquivel was also in the U.S. illegally, ICE said.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he was aware of the shooting.
“As information surrounding the incident continues to emerge, we will remain in touch with local officials and are standing by to provide support for the community,” he said.
A variety of police agencies are investigating. No further information was available.