DHS: Coast Guardsmen fired 'defensive' shots at truck driver 'accelerating' toward them during anti-ICE protest

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Coast Guard security personnel fired upon a driver who was using a rental truck in what appeared to be a ramming attack at their base in Alameda, California, on Thursday night.

Anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters had gathered outside the base after hearing federal immigration agents were being housed at Coast Guard Island Alameda. The anti-ICE crowd had minor clashes with federal agents during the day, resulting in at least two arrests. A security guard working for a news crew was also reportedly attacked by anti-ICE protesters, leaving him with a gash on his face and a chipped tooth.

'The vehicle’s actions posed a direct threat to the safety of Coast Guard and security personnel.'

In the late evening after most of the crowd had left, a masked suspect driving a U-Haul was filmed driving backward toward the Coast Guardsmen several times. The security officers can be heard on the footage yelling at the driver to stop. After the driver apparently continued his route into them, the Coast Guardsmen opened fire, video showed.

"Coast Guard personnel issued multiple verbal commands to stop the vehicle, the driver failed to comply and proceeded to put the vehicle in reverse — suddenly accelerating backwards at a high rate of speed directly toward them. When the vehicle’s actions posed a direct threat to the safety of Coast Guard and security personnel, law enforcement officers discharged several rounds of defensive live fire," DHS said in a statement to Blaze News.

"No Coast Guard personnel were injured during the incident," DHS continued. "Two civilians were injured and are expected to survive. The truck driver was wounded in the stomach and is being held for mental health evaluation. A bystander was struck by a fragment, treated at a local hospital, and released. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead agency for this investigation, and we are coordinating with our law enforcement partners."

Anti-ICE agitators have increasingly used vehicles to attack DHS agents during operations targeting illegal aliens. Cars have been used to attack federal agents in Chicago, Los Angeles, and the Phoenix metro area.

RELATED: Illegal alien shot after allegedly ramming car into federal vehicle was once honored by Democrat

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Carlitos Ricardo Parias, who was shot after allegedly ramming his car into agents' vehicles after being boxed in, was recently honored by the office of Democratic Los Angeles Councilman Curren Price with a Certificate of Recognition for documenting ICE operations on TikTok. Price characterized Parias as a "fearless citizen journalist."

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