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Man says ICE broke his arm in Long Beach
A man who claims to be a U.S. citizen says federal agents broke his arm during a tense encounter with ICE in Long Beach.
LONG BEACH, Calif. - A Long Beach man is recovering at home after being released from the hospital following injuries he suffered during a detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents over the weekend, an incident his family says involved a U.S. citizen who was targeted for no reason.
What we know:
Video from the scene shows ICE agents detaining Long Beach resident Ricardo Gonzalez on Sunday. Neighbors near Ellis Street and Locust Avenue said ICE agents had been driving around the area before stopping Gonzalez as he rode by on an e-bike. Neighbors said Gonzalez tried to tell agents he was a U.S. citizen.
Local perspective:
Witnesses described a swift and aggressive encounter. Neighbor Patricia Villareal said Gonzalez stopped and told agents he was a U.S. citizen before he was taken to the ground. Villareal said Gonzalez's arm snapped against the curb during the detention and noted that the encounter reminded her of George Floyd, adding that she feared agents were going to kill him.
Neighbor Ignacia Medina also reported hearing Gonzalez shout that he was a citizen, stating that what happened was not right and that Gonzalez was not a criminal.
The other side:
The Department of Homeland Security has yet to respond to inquiries about whether Gonzalez was the target of its activity in the area or became involved somehow.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli spoke to FOX 11, saying he has not obtained a case on this and emphasizing that local politicians condemning the agents' actions are supporting people acting "aggressively" toward federal agents.
Long Beach police confirmed they responded to a large crowd and an injured man but insisted they were not working with federal agents.
The Source: This report used information provided by the video from the scene, interviews with neighbors Patricia Villareal and Ignacia Media, comments from First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, and confirmation from Long Beach PD.