24-year-old fleeing ICE agents pictured after being fatally struck by vehicle on Virginia highway

A 24-year-old Honduran national was struck and killed by a vehicle in Virginia last week while attempting to flee from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during a traffic stop, according to state and federal officials.

The man, identified as Josué Castro Rivera, was on his way to work at a gardening job on Thursday morning when ICE agents stopped his vehicle in Norfolk, his brother Henry Castro told local media.

Castro Rivera reportedly fled the scene on foot and tried to cross Interstate 264, where he was hit by a passing 2002 Ford pickup truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene around 11 a.m., according to Virginia State Police.

“He had a very good heart,” his brother said, via the New York Times. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him.”

‘Targeted Operation’ Ends in Tragedy

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said ICE officers were conducting a “targeted, intelligence-based operation” when they stopped the vehicle carrying Castro Rivera and three other passengers.

Credit: Douglas Sacha / Getty

Officials said the passengers were detained on suspicion of being in the U.S. without legal status. Castro Rivera, however, “resisted heavily and fled,” DHS said in a statement, adding that he was struck and killed moments later.

His brother said the 24-year-old had been living in the United States for about four years and regularly sent money home to support family members in Honduras.

“He came here to work, to help his family,” Henry said. “Now we’re just trying to find a way to take him home.”

The family has since launched efforts to raise funds to transport his body back to Honduras for burial.

Family Calls Death an ‘Injustice’

Castro Rivera’s relatives have condemned the circumstances of his death, describing it as an “injustice” and calling for greater accountability in immigration enforcement operations.

Advocates have also pointed to the case as part of a broader pattern of tragedies linked to ICE raids and pursuits. “These kinds of deaths highlight the dangers of aggressive immigration tactics,” one local activist said.

DHS, however, pushed back on the criticism, issuing a strongly worded statement that blamed public rhetoric for fueling anti-ICE sentiment.

“This death is a direct result of every politician, activist, and reporter who continues to spread propaganda and misinformation about ICE’s mission and ways to avoid detention,” the agency said, via PBS.

Recent Deaths During Immigration Operations

Castro Rivera’s death follows a string of fatal incidents connected to immigration enforcement across the country.

In September, ICE agents in a Chicago suburb fatally shot a Mexican man during a traffic stop. DHS initially claimed an officer had been “seriously injured,” but later-released body camera footage showed the officer walking around, describing his injuries as “nothing major," per the New York Post.

In July, a farmworker in southern California died after falling 30 feet from a rooftop during a raid at a marijuana grow site. And in August, another man was fatally struck by a vehicle after running from federal agents onto a freeway in the same state.

These incidents have prompted renewed scrutiny of ICE’s operations, with immigrant rights groups calling for stricter safety protocols and independent investigations into use-of-force practices.

Credit: kali9 / Getty

‘He Just Wanted a Better Life’

For Castro Rivera’s family, the loss remains deeply personal. Henry described his brother as hardworking, kind, and hopeful for a better future.

“He wanted to make something of himself,” he said. “He just wanted a better life and now he’s gone.”

Authorities say the investigation into Castro Rivera’s death remains ongoing.

Featured image credit: kali9 / Getty Images.