Los Angeles, CA – A dramatic immigration enforcement operation in South Los Angeles on Tuesday erupted into chaos when a federal agent’s weapon discharged, leaving a deputy U.S. marshal and a well-known TikTok streamer wounded.
According to the LA Times, the injured individual, named Carlitos Ricardo Parias, is a 44-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico who was hit in the elbow. A deputy marshal suffered a hand injury from a ricochet bullet that was discharged by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. Fortunately, both men have non-life-threatening injuries and are still receiving treatment in the hospital.
Federal prosecutors have accused Parias of assaulting a federal officer, claiming he attempted to ram law enforcement vehicles with his car while agents were in the process of arresting him. His arraignment has been delayed as he continues his recovery.
The standoff started when federal agents surrounded a gray Toyota Camry that Parias was driving, as part of an immigration enforcement operation close to 20th Street. For almost thirty seconds, smoke poured out of Parias’s car while the engine roared.
What Federal Authorities Say
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said on X (formerly Twitter) that Parias had “rammed a Toyota Camry into the law enforcement vehicles in front of and behind him,” creating heavy smoke and debris as agents feared he would “dislodge the Camry and injure them.”
A federal affidavit alleges Parias ignored repeated orders to exit the vehicle. When agents attempted to arrest him, one ICE officer’s weapon discharged after striking the car’s window, officials said.
“Fearing for the safety of the public and law enforcement, our officers followed their training and fired defensive shots,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement.
The U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ICE, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are jointly investigating the incident.
A Community Figure
Parias, who goes by @RichardLA on TikTok, has amassed more than 133,000 followers and is well-known for his livestreams covering ICE traffic stops and immigration raids in the Los Angeles region. His supporters label him a citizen journalist, illuminating the stories of undocumented people in South Central L.A.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price called Parias “a pillar of our community” and “a fearless storyteller who gives voice to the unheard.”
His attorney, Carlos Jurado, told KCAL/KCBS that Parias was filming outside his home when the confrontation began. “He’s a very pacifist man — very calm, very respectful. A lot of the police officers know him,” Jurado said.
Aftermath and Next Steps
Both Parias and the wounded deputy marshal are expected to recover fully. If convicted, Parias faces up to eight years in federal prison.
The videos have sparked widespread debate over the use of force in federal immigration operations, with critics demanding greater transparency and accountability from ICE.
Meanwhile, Parias’s supporters have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with his medical and legal expenses, while DHS maintains that agents “acted in accordance with protocol to protect themselves and the public.”
The federal investigation remains ongoing.
