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Water bottle-thrower faces up to 8 years in prison
A Border Patrol operation outside a Home Depot in Playa Vista led to chaos as agents took a man into custody amid heckling from bystanders. The man seen throwing a water bottle at the unmarked vehicle could face up to eight years behind bars.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - A Border Patrol operation outside a Home Depot in Playa Vista on Monday morning erupted into chaos, with about a dozen federal agents taking a man into custody as furious bystanders shouted at them. Witnesses heckled the agents as they tried to leave the scene in a white van. Angelique Ryder-Mitchell says she rushed outside when she heard the commotion.
"They think they’re all Rambo with their paintball guns... they’re such losers," she said, criticizing the agents. "I’m so disgusted with how these federal officers are coming into our city to tear everything up, our relationships, our neighbors, the families in our communities; just to satisfy the political agenda of a criminal in the White House, but that’s my personal take on it."
As the van pulled away, Ryder-Mitchell’s 27-year-old son, Cosmos Mitchell, hurled a glass bottle toward the vehicle. Agents jumped out, tackled him, and took him into custody. Angelique says she was told her son will face federal charges for assaulting an officer. She insists he has never been in trouble with the law before. "He’s been working at FedEx for years, he’s a great kid, he’s starting college in September... he’s a nice guy and now they’re threatening his whole future with this," she told us.
Criminal defense attorney Dmitry Gorin says the public should be very cautious about such confrontations. "Crossing the line would be using physical force against a law enforcement officer," Gorin explained. "Federal charges are very serious, they do carry stiff sentences, and we all need to stay safe. It is very disconcerting to see arrests in broad daylight. We do want to help, but use good judgment, don’t interfere and get so close to law enforcement."
If convicted, Mitchell could face anywhere from a year in prison for simple assault to as many as eight years if prosecutors pursue it as a felony. It’s a sharp reminder that even a split-second decision can carry serious federal consequences.