PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Port St. Lucie police said a 19-year-old man was arrested after he picked up a landscaping rock and threw it at the rear window of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle, shattering it.
WATCH BELOW: 'It just doesn't make sense,' Rob Diaz tells WPTV's Kayla McDermott
The incident occurred on Tuesday at about 10:30 a.m. at the Wawa located at 10308 SW Village Pkwy.
Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the federal agents was driving through the parking lot of the Wawa after they had arrested the father of 19-year-old Pasqual Velasquez Martin, when the teen picked up a landscaping rock from the north side of the parking lot and threw it at the occupied ICE vehicle.
Velasquez Martin, of Stuart, then left the parking lot, but was quickly located by federal agents between the nearby MD Now and PDQ restaurant, police said.
According to police, a witness to the crime confirmed that Velasquez Martin threw the rock, shattering the vehicle’s window. No federal agents were injured in the attack.
Body camera footage captured an officer saying "I got him" during the arrest.
The teen was taken into custody and transported to the St. Lucie County Jail, where he is being held on $25,000 bond.
Velasquez Martin faces one count of throwing a deadly Missile into an occupied vehicle, which is a second-degree felony.
"It's business as usual. We're going to enforce the laws," said Chief Leo Niemczyk of the Port St. Lucie Police Department.
The incident comes as residents report observing increased immigration patrols on the Treasure Coast, even amid ICE protests. A separate incident on Wednesday in Martin County resulted in the arrest of a 23-year-old man for allegedly shoving an officer during a protest.
Community members shopping at the Wawa had mixed reactions to Velasquez Martin's alleged actions.
"You should never assault a police officer," said John, a local resident. "I think they should be arrested and thrown in jail."
However, Stephanie Williams expressed understanding for Velasquez Martin's reaction.
"I can't blame him. I'd be upset too," Williams said."He didn't hurt nobody. That's still a man with a gun."
WATCH: Bodycam video of arrest by Port St. Lucie police
Rob Diaz questioned the situation entirely.
"It just doesn't make sense," he said.
The arrest occurred as Port St. Lucie recently approved putting officers through the 287(g) program, which would have them trained by ICE agents. Niemczyk addressed concerns about officer safety given recent violence against immigration patrols.
"I have full control over where my officers participate, and I'm not expecting any large change in our operation over that agreement," Niemczyk said.
Williams expressed opposition to the agreement and immigration operations in her community.
"I think they need to go home and find something else to do," Williams said.
Other residents welcomed the patrols.
"I'm pro-police," John said. "If you're here illegally, you should be gone."
Police said it doesn't appear Velasquez Martin is undocumented. ICE could not provide specifics for why his father would be detained but said it most likely would have been during a targeted operation.
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