A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer made a chilling threat on a 911 call, stating he would “shoot this kid” who was reportedly tailing his unmarked vehicle in Northeast Portland, as reported by OPB. This incident, which happened in October, involved Officer Israel D. Hernandez, who became frustrated with an individual on a motorized bicycle.
Hernandez recounted to police that as the two approached Northeast 82nd Avenue, he opened his center console and pulled out his service weapon. He then told a 911 dispatcher to send local officers immediately or he would take matters into his own hands. “I need someone here now, or else I’m going to have to shoot this kid,” Hernandez said, according to a recording of his emergency call.
Luckily, Hernandez did not open fire, and the individual, described as being in his late teens or early 20s, eventually ended the chase and fled the scene. The individual was not identified in official records. It’s not entirely clear how the confrontation began, but Hernandez later told police he believed the suspect likely saw “gear with U.S. Immigration and Customs identification” in his SUV. Hernandez initially thought the individual wanted money and tried to wave him away.
The suspect allegedly started yelling about Hernandez being “ICE” and began to punch the vehicle’s window, even breaking the side-view mirror
When Hernandez first called 911, he reported, “Some kid is punching my window, and I need assistance right now.” When the dispatcher asked why someone would punch his window, he responded, “Well, because I work for ICE, I guess.”
As the call continued, Hernandez’s urgency grew. Seconds after his initial threat, he told dispatchers, “Hurry up, this kid’s over here by the goddamn window again.” Shouting can be heard in the background as Hernandez listed passing intersections. He then declared, “I’m going to have to act on this kid right now.” The dispatcher tried to de-escalate the situation, encouraging Hernandez to get away safely and suggesting he drive to a “highly populated” area.
At one point, an electronic chime indicated Hernandez had opened his door, suggesting he intended to exit his vehicle. The dispatcher quickly interjected, urging him to stay in the car. “Why? You can drive away. We have officers en route to you,” she said. “I don’t want you guys getting into any more of a dispute.”
While more shouting was heard, Hernandez left the call going as he stepped away from the phone. The call continued for over three minutes before disconnecting. When a dispatcher attempted to call him back, Hernandez didn’t pick up. He later told police who responded to the scene that the suspect had yelled, “I’m going to kill you,” before fleeing. The first Portland Police officer arrived around 4:00 PM.
A Portland Police Bureau report, completed that evening, detailed the October 31 incident. It listed an “unidentified person” as a suspect, with officers believing the suspect had broken the SUV’s side-view mirror. The report noted probable cause for second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree disorderly conduct charges, both misdemeanors.
This incident occurred during a particularly tense period between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the city of Portland. President Trump’s administration had significantly ramped up immigration enforcement that fall, even attempting to deploy the National Guard to the embattled ICE facility in the city’s South Waterfront.
Published: Feb 26, 2026 11:00 am