ICE agents leave bloody US citizen on sidewalk after mistaking him for a fugitive

A U.S. citizen was left bloody and hospitalized after federal immigration enforcement agents mistook him for a fugitive, pinned him to the ground, and attempted to handcuff him in Evanston, Illinois, according to local police and eyewitnesses.The encounter unfolded Sunday morning in the Chicago suburb when five agents in separate vehicles targeted the unidentified Black man, believing he matched the description of a fugitive with a Chicago arrest warrant. According to an Evanston Police Department news release, when the man refused to present identification, agents attempted to forcefully handcuff him.Witnesses reported seeing agents pinning the man to the sidewalk while he repeatedly screamed that he was a U.S. citizen. Ryan Garton, a bystander who recorded video of the incident, told reporters that an agent had a knee on the man’s back. After agents realized the man was a citizen and not the suspect they were seeking, they left the scene.This image taken from video shows a federal officer removing handcuffs from a U.S. citizen after immigration enforcement agents mistook him for a fugitive (AP)Garton and local store owner Michael Lipson assisted the injured man until an ambulance arrived. Eyewitnesses described seeing bloodstains on the man's shirt, severe swelling around his eye, and facial scrapes. The victim told police his head, neck, and teeth were injured during the struggle.Responding Evanston police officers noted that one federal agent also had blood on his hands. The agent told officers he sustained injuries during the scuffle and claimed the agents left the area immediately due to fears that gathering bystanders might attack them. Police visited the victim at St. Francis Hospital to document his injuries and have launched an investigation. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss confirmed the man was treated for minor injuries, writing on social media that the city would "remain vigilant about federal activities."This photo taken with a smartphone and provided by Ryan Garton shows a federal officer speaking to Evanston, Ill., police officers (Ryan Garton)The Department of Homeland Security defended the officers' actions in a statement, saying agents encountered an individual who "resembled the target" of an operation and that the man was "not cooperative and refused to identify himself." DHS claimed the officers left after the man identified himself and that he refused their offer of assistance.The bloody altercation drew swift condemnation from local and state officials, including Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who stated she was "disgusted and outraged" by the reports.The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration tactics, following a series of recent high-profile shootings and fatal encounters involving agents across the country.