E-Paper
Video shows ICE agent pointing gun at bystander during tense North Hollywood arrest; LA Mayor calls it ‘unacceptable’
Mayor Karen Bass called an encounter involving ICE agents in North Hollywood unacceptable and said she would pursue an investigation.
Prefer HTon Google
A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer was captured on video pointing a handgun at a bystander's head during a dramatic arrest in North Hollywood on Friday morning.
North Hollywood ICE arrest video shows agent pointing gun at dog walker
The footage begins with an ICE agent apprehending an unidentified person on the sidewalk at the intersection of Vineland Place and Otsego Street in North Hollywood. Shortly after, a person walking two dogs is seen conversing with the arresting officer. A second ICE agent then rushes into view, holding what seems to be a spray canister.
In the video, the agent is seen dropping the spray canister onto the grass while escorting the unidentified suspect away. At this point, the dog walker returns and throws the canister into the street. Subsequently, one of the ICE agents is reportedly seen pushing the person into the bushes and aiming a gun at their head before releasing them.
Local photographer Damari "Disko" Butler shared the video on Instagram, where it garnered tens of thousands of views.
"ICE IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD!!!!!" Butler exclaimed on Instagram. “This was extremely intense to witness live.”
Los Angeles Mayor calls out ICE
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass released a statement regarding the video on Friday night, promising to ensure that the ICE agents are held accountable for their actions.
“This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in LA,” Bass wrote in a post on X. “I’m engaging the Attorney General’s Office to investigate and prosecute any wrongdoing by these federal agents. Additionally, I referred this matter to the Office of U.S. Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat leading oversight on federal immigration enforcement abuses. We beat Trump and ICE in court, and new state laws have implemented accountability measures for ICE agents to protect our communities.”
The video wraps up with several ICE agents escorting the original suspect to a waiting SUV. Meanwhile, the person who was threatened at gunpoint is seen fleeing with their dogs.
