Family of man killed by off-duty ICE agent in LA demands charges: ‘The ache will never go away’ | ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

Family and friends of a Los Angeles man killed by an off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer while on vacation are calling on local authorities to arrest and prosecute the federal agent.

Keith Porter Jr., a 43-year-old father of two. lost his life shot by an ICE officer outside his apartment complex on New Year’s Eve. based on To Los Angeles and federal authorities. A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokesperson said Porter gunshot sounds into the air. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesman said the off-duty immigration officer was “forced to use his weapon defensively” while responding to “an active shooter.”

Many things about the incident remain unclear. There is no footage of the attack. Porter’s family and local activists defended He said contrary to DHS’s portrayal of events, Porter did not threaten anyone and was celebrating the new year. LA attorney Jamal Tooson, who represents Porter’s family in question Porter’s actions likely merited arrest or reporting by the LAPD, but the ICE agent, who was not charged with local law enforcement duties, instead subjected him to the “death penalty.”

Activists, local politicians and some celebrities They rallied around Porter’s killing, and many said it escalated concerns It’s about ICE’s aggressive raids and violent tactics in cities across the country. And DHS has a history of making false and distorted claims about the people they accuse. crimes And violence This has raised concerns that the government cannot be trusted to provide an accurate account of Porter’s death.

These fears have become more intense After an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis last week. Good’s killing sparked protests across the country; DHS called him a “domestic terrorist” without evidence and Donald Trump insistent Officer Jonathan Ross fired in self-defense as Good was “running him down” with his car. However, the images show that his car I’m walking away from the officer when he shot him and that he did not lose his balance or appear injured during the encounter.

Organizers against police brutality, including Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, mobilized community members to testify at a Los Angeles police commission meeting on Tuesday, demanding that the LAPD release the name of the ICE officer who shot Porter and is pursuing criminal charges.

“I’m heartbroken and I know this pain will never go away,” Wanda Turner, a longtime friend of Porter’s family who considers herself his second mother, said in an interview. “The officer needs to turn himself in and do the right thing. I want him charged. Even if he thought Keith did something wrong, it wasn’t his job to shoot and kill Keith.”

Late Friday afternoon, after this story was published, criminal defense attorney Stacie Halpern confirmed that she was representing the ICE officer who shot Porter and identified him as Brian Palacios.

He said Palacios’ shooting of Porter was legal and in self-defense.

The shooting of Porter, who left behind daughters ages 10 and 20, was not caught on camera, and local and federal authorities have released few details about the ongoing investigation or what they believe happened between the two men.

The LAPD said in a statement that its officers responded to 911 calls to the complex in Los Angeles’ Northridge neighborhood around 10:40 p.m. and found Porter “on the ground” and was pronounced dead a short time later. The LAPD said the ICE officer “confronted” Porter but refused to answer further questions about the incident.

ICE said in a statement that its officer lived at the complex and “engaged in a gunfight” with Porter. The statement said, “Thankfully, our brave officer was not injured while protecting his community.”

Tooson, family lawyer in question Porter may have fired “celebratory” shots to celebrate the new year. I tell the LA Times He believed several people were firing guns into the air. He also said a witness said they did not hear the ICE agent identify himself as an officer.

Tooson told reporters he did not believe there was “any armed conflict” between Porter and the agent. recommended There was a “lack of corroborating witnesses and evidence, such as bullet casings, that indicate Porter fired at the agent.”

Outrage over Porter’s killing has increased in recent days; Protesters held signs reading “Murdered by ICE” with Porter’s and Good’s faces, and celebrities wore “ICE Out” and “Be Good” pins at the Golden Globes on Sunday. honor them.

Longtime community activists in Los Angeles and Porter’s family organized several events. seizures And protests. At the Los Angeles police commission’s weekly meeting Tuesday, speakers, one by one, condemned Porter’s killing and urged Los Angeles leaders to take swift action.

“When will we file a criminal complaint against this murderer? When will his name be announced? When will he be arrested?” in question Jsané Tyler is Porter’s cousin. He questioned whether the ICE officer was given a sobriety test or forced to surrender his service weapon and whether he took any steps to render aid. Video of witnesses in Good shooting showed agents blocking Bystanders trying to provide medical assistance.

“This is systemic. When will our lives be valued?” continued Tyler, who is part of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles. “As an organizer, I never thought I’d be standing here on behalf of one of my family members… I’m calling on you to truly help us, to help his family, to help our community get justice, regardless of federal intervention.”

Dr. Black Lives Matter Los Angeles co-founder and supporter of Porter’s family. Along with demanding the arrest and prosecution of the ICE agent, Melina Abdullah said: “We demand an end to Keith’s character assassination. He is the victim, not the suspect… The way DHS is talking about him is disgusting.”

Halpern, Palacios’ attorney, said by phone Friday that his client was “defending himself and the community” and echoed allegations shared by ICE that Porter shot at the officer. Palacios’ name was first reported by the LA Times.

The LAPD declined to comment on his identity.

‘A wonderful soul’

U.S. law enforcement has long faced backlash for demonizing and spreading misinformation about people killed by officers. LA activists argued that DHS was particularly unreliable and noted its explanation for Good’s killing; The mayor of Minneapolis called it “nonsense” and the state’s governor also called it “nonsense.” in question It was “propaganda”. DHS also come under scrutiny For claiming that ICE officers have been subjected to widespread “attacks.” Court records reviewed by the LA Times last year revealed multiple cases of alleged assault did not cause injury to the officerprosecutions repeatedly ended in dismissal and acquittal.

“We cannot trust the information that organizations representing ICE agents are sharing with us because it is not accurate,” said Los Angeles city council member Eunisses Hernandez. Supporting Porter’s family On Monday. “When the protests took place last year… the federal government burning to the ground. This wasn’t happening.”

Hernandez called for more transparency: “We need to know who these people are who are taking people’s lives in our neighborhoods. This federal agent may still be participating in raids in my district.”

DHS did not respond to detailed questions about the case and criticism from attorneys, and did not immediately respond Friday to questions about the officer’s identity.

Greg Risling, a spokesman for the L.A. district attorney, said in an email Thursday that his office responded to the scene and investigated the case and that prosecutors “will review all evidence disclosed by the investigation to determine whether the law enforcement officer acted lawfully.” He declined to comment Friday on the identity of the officer.

Hernandez brought Porter’s mother, Franceola Armstrong, attended the city council meeting last week, and Armstrong recalled her son calling her every morning and saying, “I love you.” “Keith Porter had a great soul. He had a big heart,” the mother said.

Turner, a longtime friend of Porter’s family, said it was painful to see authorities “tarnish his reputation” and that he should be remembered for his cheerful demeanor: “He loved to make you smile.”

Los Angeles filmmaker Adrian Metoyer III said he and Porter, nicknamed “Pooter,” had been best friends since they met as teenagers in 1996 and bonded over sports. “Pooter was so funny, he was a jokester, he was the life of the party.” Metoyer, now 45, served as a foster parent to young men in their 20s and recalled Porter’s support: “He was my second in command, my go-to guy to help me with care. He was always there to help people.”

Metoyer said Porter had recently worked multiple jobs and at one point served as an aide to students with special needs while working at Home Depot.

Metoyer added that he is a proud “daughter father”; shared an image report In 2022, he shot a movie with Porter reflecting on his life. “I have two beautiful young daughters and I will raise them properly,” Porter says in footage of him wearing a Dodgers jersey. “I pray. I talk to God. I talk to my family. Because at the end of the day, that’s all I have. But I feel rich… It will be hard to break me because I have a strong spirit and I grew up with great love.”