Weeks after a Los Angeles man was shot and killed on New Year’s Eve by an off-duty immigration and customs enforcement agent, a court filing claims to have revealed the officer’s identity.
Per court documents, Brian Palacios shot Keith Porter Jr. late on Dec. 31 at a Northridge apartment complex. Palacios’ name was identified due to a sworn declaration submitted by attorney Michelle Diaz in a custody dispute between the officer’s girlfriend and her ex-husband. The document suggests him as the officer involved in the shooting “based on information and belief” due to records and testimony identifying him as an ICE agent who is also a resident at the complex Porter was shot outside of.
Keith Porter Jr., a 43-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by an off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on New Year’s Eve in Northridge, Los Angeles. The incident occurred when Porter allegedly fired a rifle into the air to celebrate the new year, and the ICE agent, who lived in the same apartment complex, confronted him.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the agent heard gunfire and went outside to investigate, where he encountered Porter armed with a rifle. The agent ordered Porter to drop the weapon, but he allegedly fired multiple shots at the agent, who then shot and killed Porter in self-defense.
Related Posts
Porter’s family and community advocates dispute this account, claiming the shooting was unjust and demanding accountability and transparency. They argue that the agent wasn’t properly interrogated and that the investigation is biased.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the shooting, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will review the evidence to determine if the agent acted lawfully. However, the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution grants immunity from state prosecution to federal officers acting within their duties, making it challenging to charge the agent.
