On Wednesday night, a off-duty Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Los Angeles shot and killed a man who was firing a gun in an apartment building. The incident took place late on New Year’s Eve in the Northridge community near the intersection of Roscoe Blvd. and Louise Ave.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the off-duty ICE officer shot and killed a man who was armed with a gun outside the apartment building where he resided. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated in a press release that the officer heard what he suspected to be multiple gunshots around 10:45 p.m. on Wednesday in his apartment.
As the sounds of gunfire escalated, the officer armed with his ICE-authorized weapon went outside and encountered a man holding a “suspected long gun” around the corner of the apartment building. McLaughlin pointed out that after the ICE officer identified himself as law enforcement, the man allegedly did not comply with orders to drop the gun and instead aimed it at the officer.
Given the suspect’s non-compliance, the ICE officer, in self-defense, fired at the suspect with his weapon, with the suspect allegedly firing at least three shots at the ICE officer. The officer then returned to the apartment, put on the ICE-issued bulletproof vest “to better protect himself from rifle rounds,” and upon returning to the scene, found the suspect deceased. The officer then reported the shooting incident to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
McLaughlin stated that the ICE officer was not injured, and the Office of Professional Responsibility of ICE is coordinating with the LAPD to investigate the case. Sources indicated that the man involved in the incident seemed to have no prior connection with the ICE officer.
In a statement provided to FOX, ICE said, “On December 31st, an off-duty ICE officer bravely responded to a shooting incident in an apartment community. To protect himself and others, he was forced to defensively use his weapon to engage with the shooter. Thankfully, this courageous officer was unharmed while safeguarding the community. The officer promptly notified law enforcement. Upon arrival, the LAPD confirmed the shooter was deceased on the scene. This case is under ongoing investigation by the LAPD, for further inquiries, please contact them directly.”
A female resident told FOX 11 News, “It sounded like a series of shots, more than ten shots, very intense. We were scared, but at the time, I thought it was something like fireworks.”
There were no reports of other injuries.
Earlier, DHS announced that ICE had arrested some “most heinous” criminal immigrants on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.