The Illinois State Police have opened an investigation into the death of Silverio Villegas-González, a 38-year-old Mexican man shot dead by a federal immigration agent in September 2025 in Franklin Park, a case that from the beginning was surrounded by conflicting versions and criticism over the use of force.
The shooting occurred in the early days of the so-called Operation Midway Blitz, a broad immigration offensive promoted by the Trump Administration in the Chicago area. For months, the operation was defended by federal authorities as necessary for public safety, but local and state officials described it as excessive and, in some cases, illegal.
The new state investigation arises almost eight months after the incident, after the Franklin Park Police Department formally requested intervention following the publication of a report by the Illinois Accountability Commission. That report documented alleged irregularities in the actions of federal agents and called for reviewing possible crimes committed during the operation.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Villegas-González “refused to obey law enforcement orders and drove his car” against the agents, hitting one of them and dragging him “a considerable distance,” which led the officer to shoot “fearing for his life.” However, later videos and evidence reviewed by various media have cast doubt on that version.
Recordings of the incident show Villegas-González trying to flee, but do not show that he ran over an agent. Additionally, in one of the recordings, the officer himself is heard describing his injuries as “not serious,” contradicting initial reports that spoke of serious wounds.
The man, a father and cook, had dropped his children off at daycare and was heading to work when he was intercepted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. He was shot in the neck — “at close range,” according to reports — and was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where he died less than an hour later.
None of the agents involved were wearing body cameras, and no video has emerged confirming the exact moment the shot was fired or the alleged dragging of the officer. Autopsy results indicate that the bullet entered the left side of the neck and ended lodged in the chest, suggesting the shot may have come from an elevated position.
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The current investigation represents the first independent scrutiny of the actions of federal agents during the operation. “The Franklin Park Police Department requested the Public Integrity Task Force (PITF) to investigate the shooting in which Silverio Villegas González was injured,” reported state spokesperson Melaney Arnold. The PITF has initiated the preliminary investigation. Once concluded, the case will be referred to the Cook County prosecutor’s office.
The Cook County prosecutor’s office indicated it will play a limited role. “We cannot comment further on an ongoing police investigation,” said the office of prosecutor Eileen O’Neill Burke, who previously explained that her ability to file charges depends on a police agency concluding the investigation.
However, a coalition of elected officials, religious leaders, and civil organizations has argued that there is a closeness between the prosecutor’s office and federal agencies that hinders legal actions against the agents involved. The group maintains that O’Neill Burke “has an agreement with federal law enforcement that prevents her from taking action against federal agents accused of committing crimes during Operation Midway Blitz.”
The case of Villegas-González is not isolated. During the operation, federal agents also shot Marimar Martínez, who survived and later saw charges against her dismissed. Overall, the use of tear gas, mass arrests, and allegations of excessive force marked the development of the operation.
The most recent state report was especially critical, describing the strategy as a coordinated effort to pressure Illinois for its immigrant-friendly policies. Governor J. B. Pritzker stated: “Law enforcement will examine this evidence and take all measures within their reach to deliver justice to the people of Illinois.”
Still, the legal path is uncertain. The Constitution limits the ability of States to prosecute federal agents in certain circumstances, especially when they claim to have acted under threat.
