LOS ANGELES — An investigation is ongoing after a man who federal agents were trying to apprehend was shot during an immigration operation in South Los Angeles on Tuesday morning. A deputy U.S. marshal was also injured by a ricochet bullet.
The shooting happened around 8:52 a.m. Federal officials said it began as a targeted enforcement traffic stop on an immigrant living in the U.S. without legal permission who had previously avoided capture.
A view from ABC Los Angeles affiliate KABC’s helicopter over the scene showed a dark-colored sedan boxed in by several other vehicles.
Witnesses told KABC the man involved is a well-known TikToker who regularly follows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He goes by Richard LA online.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayl identified the man as 44-year-old Carlitos Ricardo Parias. He’s charged with assault on a federal officer and is expected to appear in court on Wednesday. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in federal prison.
In Spanish, Pier Rojas, who also takes video of ICE agents, told KABC that Parias was in his car, and it appeared he was nervous and afraid, not wanting to get out of the car. The witness said agents then fired rubber bullets and tear gas.
In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said Parias “weaponized his vehicle and began ramming the law enforcement vehicle in an attempt to flee. Fearing for the safety of the public and law enforcement, our officers followed their training and fired defensive shots.”
Parias is accused of ramming his Toyota Camry into law enforcement vehicles in front of and behind him after they boxed him in. Essayl said Parias spun the Camry’s tires, spewing smoke and debris into the air and causing the car to fishtail, “causing agents to worry for their safety.”
Essayl said an agent broke into his side window, but it wasn’t enough to subdue Parias. That’s when an agent opened fire.
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Parias was shot once in the elbow, and the deputy U.S. marshal was shot in the hand by a ricochet bullet, according to DHS.
Essayl said both the deputy marshal and Parias are expected to recover. Friends say Parias is undergoing surgery on the gunshot wound.
Crowds formed outside the California Hospital in downtown L.A., where Parias and the deputy marshal were taken for treatment.
Back at the scene of the shooting, activists and community members gathered for a rally and press conference to protest ICE and denounce the arrest.
“This level of violence from federal agents is unacceptable,” said Veritas Topete with Centro CSO.
“This type of violence is a type of violence that we denounce, and is a type of violence that will only create more violence,” said Ron Gochez with Union Del Barrio.
“Vehicles are deadly weapons. Anyone who uses them against federal agents risks arrest, imprisonment, and life-threatening injuries. We will continue to use every tool in our legal arsenal to protect our agents and enforce immigration laws passed by Congress,” Essayl said.
The shooting happened down the street from Santee High School, but campus operations were not impacted by the investigation.
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