Court docs: Accused Tren de Aragua member rammed federal vehicle before agent opened fire

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The man who was shot in the arm by a Customs & Border Patrol agent during an encounter in Southeast Portland last Thursday has been charged with aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

Luis Nino-Moncada, who the Department of Homeland Security says is an associate of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, was charged for “violently striking a federal law enforcement vehicle,” the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

Nino-Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, who is alleged to have ties to a Tren de Aragua (TdA) prostitution ring, were both taken to the hospital last Thursday after they were shot by the federal agent outside the Adventist Health clinic near Southeast Main Street.

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Court records released Monday state that Border Patrol agents were carrying out an enforcement operation on a vehicle belonging to Zambrano-Contreras, who is accused of being involved in a TdA prostitution ring, and who is also thought to be involved in a shooting “stemming from a bad prostitution deal.”

Nino-Moncada was behind the wheel, and Zambrano-Contreras was in the passenger seat. They told Nino-Moncada to get out of the vehicle, but he allegedly backed into a Border Patrol vehicle several times, causing significant damage to the car.

“A Border Patrol agent interviewed by FBI special agents described being fearful that Nino-Moncada could strike them and other Border Patrol agents with the target vehicle,” the DOJ said.

Statements from the border patrol agents indicate that when Nino-Moncada was allegedly ramming the vehicle, a nearby agent fired at least two rounds into the driver’s side window.

“That Border Patrol agent had been standing in front of the target vehicle during the ramming, but had moved towards the driver’s side of the target vehicle,” a sworn statement from one agent states.

Nino-Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras were both shot, and they drove several miles away to an apartment complex before calling 911 for help.

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“Portland Police Bureau officers and medical personal responded to the Bria apartments to provide aid,” a probable cause affidavit said. “Responding law enforcement placed a tourniquet on Luis Nino-Moncada. While placing the tourniquet, [he] repeatably stated ‘f*** ICE.’”

Nino-Moncada was treated for a gunshot wound to the arm and is now in FBI custody.

Portland Police on Friday said Zambrano-Contreras was in stable condition.

A document from the FBI’s Portland field office states that there was no body-worn camera footage from any of the six agents, Adventist Health’s surveillance cameras didn’t record the shooting, and at this point, there have been no videos found on social media of the shooting.

When interviewed by the FBI, Nino-Moncada later admitted that he intentionally rammed the Border Patrol vehicle while trying to flee, knowing they were immigration enforcement vehicles.

Nino-Moncada is set to appear in court on Monday on charges of aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and depredation of federal property in excess of $1,000.

In a press release sent out Monday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said the following:

“Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department. This man — an illegal alien with ties to a foreign terrorist organization — should NEVER have been in our country to begin with, and we will ensure he NEVER walks free in America again.”