Man charged with assaulting ICE officers in Gibbsboro, NJ

⚠️ Federal prosecutors say a man swung a hammer at ICE officers during an Oct. 4 traffic stop in Gibbsboro.
❗ Reinieri De Jesus Licona Amador, 27, faces up to 20 years on a charge of assaulting federal officers.
➡️ He appeared in Camden federal court Monday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office

GIBBSBORO — A Honduran national armed with a hammer attacked immigration officers during a traffic stop in Camden County earlier this month, according to federal prosecutors.

Reinieri De Jesus Licona Amador, 27, was charged with assaulting federal officers. The charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. On Monday, the unauthorized immigrant appeared in Camden federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

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The hammer attack happened in Gibbsboro on Oct. 4 during a traffic stop, prosecutors said. Authorities said the ICE agents were in the Camden County borough to conduct a targeted operation, and they checked the license plate of a truck in the area.

They found the black Chevy pickup truck belonged to Licona Amador. However, prosecutors said he lacked lawful status in the United States.

The agents turned on their emergency lights and pulled the truck over, prosecutors said. Officials said the agents had vests that identified them as ICE officers and had their badges displayed.

Prosecutors say he grabbed a hammer as ICE officers approached his truck

Investigators said that as the officers approached the driver's side window, they saw Licona Amador grab a hammer from the back seat. According to prosecutors, officers ordered him to stop moving, and instead he got out of the truck's passenger side with the hammer.

Bodycam showed that Licona Amador got on top of the truck door and swung the hammer at the ICE officers multiple times, according to prosecutors. The officers pepper-sprayed him, wrestled him to the ground, and arrested him.

Bodycam images show ICE agents attacked with hammer in Gibbsboro on Oct. 4, 2026. (United States Attorney District of New Jersey)

“When an individual responds to a traffic stop by attacking an officer with a hammer, that conduct threatens not only the officer’s safety but the rule of law itself. We will not allow violent attacks on federal officers to go unanswered," U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer said.

Homeland Security officials said federal law enforcement officers have experienced a 600% increase in assaults, a 3,300% increase in vehicular attacks, and an 8,000% increase in death threats.

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