Latest news with #ChristianCernoCamacho
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Wild moment federal agents zone in on 'violent rioter' accused of attacking border agent on Los Angeles street
Federal agents in unmarked vehicles were seen ramming a suspect's car as they narrowed in on a 'violent rioter' wanted for punching a border agent. In dramatic footage shared online, the suspect is seen turning onto the road in the 3700 block of Whittier Boulevard. In just seconds, an unmarked light blue van car maneuvers in front while another boxes the vehicle in from behind. Federal agents then exited the vehicle with guns drawn and appeared to release tear gas as they attempted to make an arrest. The video appeared to depict the suspect putting his hands in the air and behind his head. Witness accounts appear to contradict the footage, however, with claims the driver was dragged out of his car. The shocking event comes as Los Angeles has been embroiled in days-long protests against ICE raids in the city. As the video circulated on social media with varying theories, the Department of Homeland Security made a statement explaining the operation was a 'targeted arrest' of a man described as a 'violent rioter who punched a CBP officer'. 'This was no hit and run. This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who PUNCHED a CBP officer,' DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in a statement on X. 'When Homeland Security Investigations tried to arrest Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho for the assault, he attempted to flee. He was ultimately arrested and taken into custody.' Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho was in the vehicle with a woman passenger, a toddler, and a baby in the backseat when the two cars pinned the vehicle, the Los Angeles Police Department told local ABC affiliate, KABC. The woman was identified as his wife and was seen in other videos in a heated confrontation with officers as protesters gathered at the scene. The LAPD added that the incident was being investigated as a possible assault with a deadly weapon involving federal agents. reached out to the LAPD for additional details, but didn't immediately hear back. 'Our officers are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murders, rapists, and gang members,' DHS said in a statement. 'Secretary Noem's message to the LA rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law.' 'And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.' The man who was arrested was driving a white sedan with a female passenger and two children when the unmarked vehicle rammed into the rear of their car Witnesses told the Los Angeles Times that a smoke device was dispersed during the altercation. An employee at a nearby grocery store told the publication that after the man was arrested, the woman and children in the car went to the business for almost three hours before family picked them up. Jesus Trujillo, told KABC, that he was a friend of the family and said Cerno-Camacho is an American citizen. reached out to DHS for confirmation on Cerno-Camacho's immigration status, but didn't immediately hear back. Community activist Verita Topete echoed a similar claim, questioning why DHS arrested the man. Topete said that agents were pointing guns at the family's car. 'We saw her [the female passenger] with one of her hands up and her toddler child in the other hand.' A family friend, Jesus Trujillo, told KABC that Cerno-Camacho was an American citizen and slammed the federal agents for arresting him in front of the family 'He was crying and the mother was in a lot of distress. She was frantic, she was in distress.' Another witness, John Lopez, told the LA Times that he speculated the agents were with ICE, but was confused as to why they pinned the suspect's car. DHS said Cerno-Camacho was arrested and taken into custody, but it's unclear where he's being held and how long he was detained.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Watch: ICE agents ram car to take man into custody in Boyle Heights
A man was arrested in Boyle Heights Wednesday morning after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents rammed into his car and pinned it between two unmarked cars. The collision was reported at 10:47 am in the 3700 block of Whittier Boulevard, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told ABC7. Witnesses said federal agents in two unmarked vehicles a pickup truck and an SUV were involved in the incident, along with a civilian vehicle, a white sedan. LAPD said the crash was being investigated as a possible assault with a deadly weapon involving federal agents who left the scene. In a statement, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said it was not a hit-and-run. "This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who punched a CBP officer. When Homeland Security Investigations tried to arrest Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho for the assault, he attempted to flee. He was ultimately arrested and taken into custody." Surveillance video showed the moment the federal agents came out of one of the vehicles drawing their weapons on the car. Soon after, an agent tossed tear gas canisters near the vehicle. A male driver, a woman passenger, a toddler and a baby in the backseat were all in the car at the moment of the incident. Witnesses said the agents dragged the male out of the car and took off, leaving the children screaming and the woman frantic. The federal vehicles apparently departed before a small crowd gathered on the sidewalk. No serious injuries were immediately reported, but the woman was treated by paramedics before being transported to a hospital. Her condition was not immediately known. Photo: KABC via CNN Newsource Aerial video from AIR7 showed LAPD officers and Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters at the crash site. "He was an American citizen and they're getting him out of the car," said Jesus Trujillo, the man's family member. "They just took him out using force and everything, pulling out guns while kids are in the car. That's not right." Witnesses claim the ICE agents had followed the vehicle for miles, apparently looking to apprehend the male driver. "He is an American citizen and they dragged him out and supposedly had a warrant for his arrest, but not one showed a warrant," said community activist Verita Topete." So what is the arrest for? Because he was protesting? Because he was using his first amendment rights?" She said it broke her heart seeing the children screaming and the woman frantic as agents violently dragged the man out of the car taking him into custody and taking off. "The agents were pointing guns at her and her child. We saw her with one of her hands up and her toddler child in the other hand," Topete added. "He was crying and the mother was in a lot of distress. She was frantic, she was in distress." The investigation is ongoing. - KABC via CNN
Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
DHS releases video of agents arresting suspect who allegedly assaulted border patrol officer
Video shows the moment the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested "a violent rioter" in Los Angeles accused of punching a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared video of the chaos on X, showing two HSI vehicles blocking a white sedan before officers got out with guns drawn. "This was no hit and run," DHS wrote. "This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who punched a CBP officer." DHS said HSI tried to arrest Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho for the assault, and he attempted to flee in the vehicle. Cerno-Camacho was arrested and taken into custody, the video shows. "Our officers are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murder[er]s, rapists and gang member[s]," DHS said. "[DHS] Secretary [Kristi] Noem's message to the LA rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." Riots across Los Angeles erupted Friday, when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted operations targeting criminal illegal aliens at businesses across the city. About 45 people were arrested in several locations, including two Home Depot stores, a store in the fashion district and a doughnut shop. Among those arrested was 49-year-old Cuong Chanh Phan, an illegal alien from Vietnam with a criminal history that includes a conviction for second-degree murder. Phan was convicted of shooting up a high school graduation party after a dispute, killing an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old. Seven others were injured in the shooting, according to DHS. The FBI also announced it was looking for Elpidio Reyna after he allegedly assaulted a federal officer during one of the anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles. Reyna was allegedly captured on video throwing rocks at law enforcement vehicles on Alondra Boulevard in Paramount, California, resulting in an injury to a federal officer and damage to government vehicles. DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Homeland Security agents crash into and arrest driver in Los Angeles
Security cameras on Wednesday captured Department of Homeland Security agents driving their unmarked cars into a white Mercedes sedan during an arrest operation in a Los Angeles neighborhood. Homeland Security said the agents were targeting a man who allegedly punched a border patrol officer. Surveillance footage showed federal agents using a truck and an SUV to pin the suspect's car along Whittier Boulevard in Boyle Heights. "This was no hit and run. This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who punched a CBP officer," Homeland Security posted on X. "When Homeland Security Investigations tried to arrest Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho for the assault, he attempted to flee. He was ultimately arrested and taken into custody." Witnesses said the agents drew their guns and used tear gas before the driver exited the vehicle. One bystander, Verita Topete, said she spoke to a passenger in the car. "They had been following them since Long Beach," Topete said. "He started to drive very suspiciously over here because he felt like he was being followed. That's when they got to this intersection. They supposedly had a warrant for his arrest because he was a protester at the Paramount protest." Topete said the passenger was flustered after the collision. Another witness, Steve Silva, said she had two babies with her. "Literally, one in a crib and the other one maybe 1.5 years old," Silva said. Topete said she stayed with the woman, called paramedics to evaluate the babies and filed a police report against the agents. "They were proud of what they did, which is not OK," Topete said. "They're out here terrorizing this poor woman and her children. I helped her call the paramedics to get her babies checked out and 911 to make a police report because who's going to pay for this?"
