Los Angeles authorities report that two people were injured, including a U.S. Marshal, during an early-morning immigration enforcement operation on Tuesday.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the incident occurred when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer attempted to apprehend a suspect, identified as 44-year-old Carlitos Ricardo Parias, who had previously escaped custody. Law enforcement sources told CNN that the suspect rammed a vehicle involved in the operation, prompting the officer’s weapon to discharge.
“The suspect weaponized his vehicle and began ramming the law enforcement vehicle in an attempt to flee,” DHS stated. “Fearing for the safety of the public and law enforcement, our officers fired defensive shots. The suspect was shot in the elbow, and one law enforcement officer was injured in the hand by a ricochet bullet. Both were hospitalized and are in stable condition.”
Authorities believe the gunfire erupted after an ICE officer confronted the suspect and smashed a window of the vehicle with their service weapon. While attempting to physically restrain the suspect, the officer’s weapon discharged, striking both Parias and the U.S. Marshal.
Parias has been charged with assault on a federal officer for “ramming law enforcement vehicles in an attempt to dislodge his car during an immigration arrest,” according to the Justice Department. He is expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Parias’ attorney, Carlos Jurado, told CNN affiliate KCAL that his client maintains a social media presence, frequently recording law enforcement activity in his community. “He’s a very pacifist man. He’s very calm. Many police officers know him and respect him,” Jurado said. He added that Parias’ current condition is unclear because the family has not been updated on his injuries.
The FBI has launched an investigation into the incident. Los Angeles Police Department officials have not yet released additional details.
This report is based on statements from the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshals Service, and court filings, with contributions from CNN reporters Emma Tucker, Lauren Mascarenhas, Chimaine Pouteau, and Priscilla Alvarez.