ICE agent arrested for pulling gun on California teen, lawyer says

Authorities in Riverside County say an off-duty man who is believed to work for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is under investigation after allegedly detaining a teenage boy at gunpoint in Temecula earlier this month.

The confrontation unfolded late on the night of Nov. 10. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the 17-year-old was driving home after dropping off a friend when he unexpectedly found himself facing an armed man later identified as 45-year-old Gerardo Rodriguez. The teen’s attorney, Greg Kirakosian, said the boy saw Rodriguez standing in the street pointing a gun at him and ordering him to pull over, leaving the teenager believing his life was in danger.

Video from the incident shows Rodriguez drawing a handgun from his waistband, advancing on the teen’s truck, and yelling commands while also flashing what appears to be a badge. He can be heard shouting profanities, identifying himself as police, and accusing the teen of speeding in the neighborhood before ordering him to get out of the vehicle, sit on the ground and produce identification. Rodriguez, known among neighbors as an ICE agent, also questioned the Mexican American teen about who he was and where he came from, demanding documentation as though conducting an immigration stop.

The situation drew the attention of nearby residents, who intervened and tried to de-escalate the confrontation. By the time the teen’s parents arrived — alerted by a friend who witnessed what was happening — neighbors had helped calm Rodriguez and urged him to return to his home. The family rushed over carrying their son’s passport, fearing the encounter might be part of an immigration raid. They called 911 once they reached the scene.

Sheriff’s deputies launched an investigation and handed the case off to their Investigations Bureau. Rodriguez was arrested later that night, and a search of his home was conducted, with officials saying they seized evidence relevant to the case.

Kirakosian said the incident has struck a nerve with many Mexican American families, who see it as part of a growing pattern of federal agents or individuals associated with federal enforcement confronting civilians with firearms. He argued that Rodriguez acted as though he had the authority to turn his neighborhood into a personal enforcement zone, adding that the outcome could have been far worse.

The Temecula episode is the latest in a string of troubling encounters involving federal agents in California. Just one day earlier, video captured an ICE officer in Santa Ana pointing his firearm at a woman in traffic — a situation a nearby police officer declined to intervene in after determining he had no clear evidence a crime was occurring. And on Oct. 30, a federal officer shot a 24-year-old Ontario man during what authorities described as an enforcement operation, later saying the agent feared the man was attempting to run over officers.

Rodriguez has been booked on accusations of assault with a deadly weapon, assault by a public officer, and child endangerment. He was released on bond the same night. Federal agencies, including DHS and ICE, have been contacted for comment but have not yet responded. The teen and his family have not been publicly named.

Source: THE HILL