Immigration agents shot a suspect after he rammed their vehicle during a LA stop, DHS says

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal officers shot a man in the elbow after he rammed his car into law enforcement vehicles while trying to evade arrest Tuesday morning in Los Angeles, authorities said.

A deputy U.S. Marshal assisting with the arrest was hit in the hand with a ricochet bullet, authorities said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents fired “defensive shots” as the man rammed into their vehicles, Homeland Security Department Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli identified the man as Carlitos Ricardo Parias, 44, from Mexico and said he was charged with assault on a federal officer. Parias is due in court Wednesday, Essayli said in a statement. He is living in the country illegally, Essayli said.

Essayli said officers had an administrative immigration arrest warrant for Parias, who had “avoided capture before.” McLaughlin earlier said he had “previously escaped from custody." It wasn't immediately clear if he had previously been arrested.

Parias runs a TikTok account under the name Richard Noticias LA where he posts as a citizen journalist, including sharing videos and information about immigration enforcement activities. His attorney, Carlos Jurado, could not immediately be reached for comment. He told local media outlets that Parias was a “calm man” with two U.S.-born children and no criminal record.

During the traffic stop Tuesday, authorities boxed Parias in with their vehicles as they tried to arrest him, Essayli said. Parias then rammed into the vehicles in front of and behind him. An agent attempted to break the driver’s side window of the car, but that did not subdue Parias, Essayli said.

As Parias spun the tires, the back of the car began to fishtail, eventually prompting an agent to open fire, Essayli said.

“Vehicles are deadly weapons. Anyone who uses them against federal agents risks arrest, imprisonment, and life-threatening injuries,” Essayli wrote.

U.S. Marshals Service office spokesperson Tlaloc Olvera confirmed one of their officers sustained a non-life-threatening injury and was in stable condition.

“These are the consequences of conduct and rhetoric by sanctuary politicians and activists who urge illegal aliens to resist arrest," McLaughlin said.

Los Angeles police said they were providing traffic control and were not involved directly in the federal operation.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price’s office said Parias has lived in the city for decades and is a well-known member of the community. His office recently awarded Parias a certificate of recognition for his citizen reporting. Some of his followers gathered outside the hospital Tuesday.

The use of force by federal agents has come under scrutiny after recent deaths during immigration enforcement operations.

Last month, an ICE officer fatally shot a suspect during an operation after the man drove his car at officers and dragged one of them. Others have died while fleeing federal immigration agents, including a man struck and killed on a Southern California freeway in August.

ICE tracks attacks against its officers and has blamed activists for an increase in attacks, saying their rhetoric encourages people the agency is pursuing to resist arrest.

According to data provided by the agency, there were 172 reported assaults between Jan. 21 and Oct. 1 of this year. That’s compared to 15 reported assaults during the same period last year.

Immigration activists blame federal immigration enforcement agents' aggressive tactics.

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This story has been corrected to say Parias is due in court Wednesday, not next Tuesday.