Politics
Suspect Shot Dead After Allegedly Pointing Rifle At Off-Duty ICE Officer
An off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a man who allegedly pointed a weapon in their direction on New Year’s Eve, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed in a statement.
The incident occurred about an hour before midnight at the Valley Pointe Apartments complex in Northridge, Los Angeles, California. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded to the scene and found a suspect dead after suffering gunshot wounds.
According to a report from local outlet ABC 7, the off-duty officer was inside his apartment when he heard what he thought to be gunshots outside. He then grabbed a firearm and went outside, at which point he encountered a suspect who was allegedly armed with a rifle.
The officer identified himself as law enforcement, at which point the suspect allegedly pointed the rifle at him. An exchange of gunfire then occurred, after which the officer retreated back inside to retrieve body armor and call for backup. LAPD officers then arrived on the scene and found the suspect deceased.
“When the subject refused to comply, the officer fired defensively with his service weapon at the subject to disarm him,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told ABC 7. “The subject fired at least three rounds at the officer.”
McLaughlin further stated that the officer was not injured as a result of the incident. ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility is coordinating with the LAPD in the ongoing investigation, she added.
The LAPD confirmed that it responded to the scene and a suspect was killed, but did not provide additional details. Sources familiar with the investigation told ABC 7 that there are no known connections between the deceased individual and the ICE officer as of this report.
The identities of both the officer and the alleged gunman have also not been released as of this report.
Wednesday’s shooting comes just days ahead of a planned withdrawal of National Guard and other U.S. Military personnel whom had been dispatched to the city to protect federal immigration agents from rising violence. The deployment was announced after days of sustained this past June, during which federal agents were repeatedly assaulted by mobs armed with bricks, incendiary devices and more.
Court records from the Central District of California, which covers the Los Angeles region, indicate that 71 people were charged with assaulting federal agents in the district in 2025. This figure is up from nine arrests over the same period in 2024.
