LA County DA still weighing charges in fatal shooting of Keith Porter Jr. by off-duty ICE agent

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has yet to decide whether charges will be filed in the shooting death of Keith Porter Jr., according to the family attorney. 

An off-duty ICE officer is accused of fatally shooting the 43-year-old on New Year's Eve in Northridge.

What we know:

The family attorney says he and the Porter family met with DA Nathan Hochman Monday to get clarity on whether charges will be filed against the off-duty ICE officer in this case.

"If there is anybody out there who knows anything who has seen anything, please come forward so we can get justice for my son Keith Porter," Keith's mother, Franceola Armstrong said Monday. 

Keith's mother and the family attorney made remarks after a meeting with Hochman.

"It is our understanding with DA Hochman that no decision has been made as of yet to file charges or not file charges," said attorney Jamal Tooson.

The backstory:

Porter was fatally shot just after 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2025, allegedly by an off-duty ICE agent at an apartment complex in Northridge.

LAPD said Porter was firing celebratory shots into the air with an AR-15-style rifle. The off-duty agent, who also lives in the apartment, heard the gunfire and confronted Porter.

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The other side:

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security allege Porter pointed a rifle at the off-duty ICE agent during a confrontation at their Northridge apartment. The agent then shot and killed the father of two.

DHS claims the off-duty ICE agent responded to an "active shooter situation" at his apartment complex and was forced to use his weapon to protect his life and others.

Earlier in the year, the attorney for the law enforcement officer told FOX 11 there is "evidence of bullet holes in the wall" to support that her client acted in self-defense of himself and his community. 

The Porter's family attorney strongly refutes those claims, saying Keith was never a threat. 

"It's our understanding that Keith was shot three times, what that tells us is there were no additional shots fired, so the only three shots was from the shooter himself, so we don't believe this narrative of self-defense," said attorney Jamal Tooson.

Keith's family and their attorney have also claimed this all could've been avoided if the off-duty ICE agent did not involve himself and first called the LAPD to respond.

His mother, Franceola Armstrong, previously described her son Keith as a man with a wonderful soul and big heart who didn't deserve this.

What they're saying:

As they wait for a decision from the DA's office, the Porter family and their attorney say they are also seeking a new avenue towards accountability.

"At the conclusion of our meeting we did ask the district attorney if he would be willing to present this to a grand jury, we believe as a family that would be the best path to move it forward towards getting justice," said Tooson.

The Office of LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman released the following statement on Monday's meeting:

"We understand how difficult this has been for Keith Porter's family. While we typically don't meet with families this early in an investigation, given the high-profile nature of this case and at the request of the attorneys representing Mr. Porter’s family, we made it a priority to connect. We will continue our meticulous review of the evidence, the facts, and the law to reach a final determination. We encourage anyone with information about what happened to contact law enforcement or our office directly."

Regarding the suggestion of utilizing a grand jury, the LA County District Attorney's Office said, "We will explore every option as we investigate this case."