ICE Enforcement: Agents point gun at neighbor during North Hollywood arrest

Federal immigration enforcement actions in Los Angeles often occur in residential neighborhoods where residents witness the operations directly. On Friday morning, masked agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained a man in North Hollywood, an event captured on video by nearby residents.

The footage shows three agents lifting a handcuffed man by his arms and legs to place him into a vehicle. The man, identified by his family as Angel Luis Gonzalez Lobo, a 27-year-old native of Venezuela, cried out in pain during the process. His brother stated that the family does not know the specific reason for his detention.

The incident included a confrontation with a neighbor walking two dogs on the sidewalk. An agent approached the man, who appeared unarmed, and pointed a gun at his face while pushing him into a bush. Just prior to the interaction, the neighbor picked up a canister that looked like pepper spray and tossed it aside, exclaiming, "I thought it was his!"

Witness Damari Butler recorded the struggle on his phone. He described the agent pulling the gun and backing the man into the bushes. Butler said, "The ICE agent pulled out a gun, backed him up in the bushes with the gun to his face, which was insane." He added that the chaos made it seem like no one knew what they were doing.

Butler observed that agents may have tased the detained man while he was on the ground before hogtying him. A second car arrived as officers attempted to load Gonzalez Lobo into the truck. During the sequence, the neighbor with the dogs picked up another object, prompting an agent to rush over and spray him after telling him to put it down.

Nancy, a neighbor who was outside with her son, said the scene made her feel unsafe walking out of her apartment building. She stated, "I was scared for the man that was being dragged. I was scared for myself and my son." Butler noted that the agents used force to get what they needed, creating a chaotic environment for onlookers.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass released a statement calling the incident unacceptable. She said she is engaging the Attorney General’s Office to investigate and prosecute any wrongdoing by the federal agents. The mayor also referred the matter to the Office of U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia for oversight. Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Nithya Raman posted on social media that she was outraged by the reports of violent ICE kidnappings in the area.

The Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to requests for more information about the Friday morning detention. Area leaders are now demanding answers regarding the conduct of the federal officers involved in the North Hollywood arrest.