“Ayudenme, ayudenme! Mi mano!” Richard Parias is heard saying over a revving engine. “Por favor! Ayuden!”
Eleven shots ring out in quick succession, fired from an undisclosed firearm. The angle from where the video is taken and the dense smoke billowing obscured the view of the weapon being used to discharge the shots. Without seeing the weapon we cannot confirm bullets or less-lethal rounds.
Parias continues yelling.
“Ayudenme! Me estoy [unintelligible] no tengo nada!”
White smoke billows, police lights flash on the headlights of a Dodge Ram operated by a U.S. Marshall’s agent. The truck’s front bumper is pressed against a grey Toyota Camry driven by Parias. Smoke emanates from the tires on both the Ram and the Camry. The truck is pushed slightly back by the Camry, but the Ram keeps the Camry in place. In this video footage, there is no evidence of fish tailing. Tires can be heard spinning on the asphalt. After the shots end, an engine is no longer heard revving.
An eyewitness who spoke with L.A. TACO heard several “gun shots.” That’s when he went outside, started recording, and captured the video footage at 8:50 a.m. He said that he was unsure if the rounds he captured were pepperballs or bullets.
L.A. TACO obtained the video while canvassing the neighborhood, two days after the shooting. The video was recorded by an eyewitness who prefers to stay anonymous.
Richard Parias is a well-known TikToker, who documents local breaking news. According to a GoFundMe launched by his son, Ulices Parias, he is a father of two whose family has been struggling to process Tuesday’s events.
Parias received a Certificate of Recognition on Aug. 15 from the City of Los Angeles for his efforts to keep his community of South L.A. safe from “illegal raids” and “abductions.”
The following is an excerpt from a statement sent to L.A. TACO from The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday:
“Fearing for the safety of the public and law enforcement, our officers followed their training and fired defensive shots.”
In the statement, DHS asserted that an undocumented individual was shot in the elbow and one law enforcement officer was shot in the hand by a ricochet bullet.
A press release by the U.S. Attorney’s office said that a federal agent opened fire, injuring Parias and a U.S. Marshall with a ricochet bullet.
According to the Department of Homeland Security’s policy on the use of force, agents and officers are prohibited from discharging firearms solely as warning shots or to disable moving vehicles. The policy lists safety considerations that agents should take into consideration, including the fact that warning and disabling fire is “inherently dangerous” and “ should be used with all due care.”
The policy includes use of deadly force guidelines, in which the discharge of a firearm against a person is considered deadly force. Deadly force should only be used by an agent if there is a reasonable belief that the person who would be the target of that force posed an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, according to the policy.
“DHS LEOs are prohibited from discharging firearms at the operator of a moving vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other conveyance unless the use of deadly force against the operator is justified under the standards articulated elsewhere in this policy. … Before using deadly force under these circumstances, the LEO must take into consideration the hazards that may be posed to law enforcement and innocent bystanders by an out-of-control conveyance. Firearms shall not be discharged solely as a warning or signal or solely to disable moving vehicles,” states the policy.
The policy also says that deadly force should not be used solely to prevent the escape of a fleeing subject, only if there is an imminent threat of death or serious injury.
“As such, the Durango, Escape, and Ram boxed in the Camry (cars parked in the street flanked the south side of the Camry) and left PARIAS with no reasonable means of escape,” according to the affidavit, part of the criminal complaint reviewed by L.A. TACO provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Central District.
The affidavit does not mention the eleven shots heard in the video reviewed by L.A. TACO, nor is there any mention of when the shot that ricocheted was fired.
Three law enforcement vehicles boxed in the Camry. Agents from ERO, HSI, and USMS approached and gave orders to exit the vehicle to effectuate the arrest.
The affidavit says that Parias allegedly drove the Camry forward and backwards, hitting law enforcement vehicles, resulting in agents attempting to break the driver’s side window. Smoke and debris emanated from the spinning tires, as Parias was accelerating forward. Agents were concerned that Parias would lose control of his vehicle and injure the agents.
“According to those agents, not only was the Camry accelerating aggressively forward, but the rear of the car began to fishtail, which caused the agents to fear that PARIAS may lose control of the Camry and hit them,” the affidavit reads.
In the video reviewed by L.A. TACO, there was no evidence of Parias’ vehicle “fishtailing,” and following the shots, the engine stopped revving as Parias cried out in pain.
A picture reviewed by L.A. TACO that is part of the affidavit shows a shredded driver’s side wheel. On-site evidence reviewed by L.A. TACO shows burn marks left on the asphalt from tires burning into the ground, along with shredded tire pieces.
TikToker Richard Parias and a U.S. marshall were shot during a federal immigration operation that occurred in Los Angeles on E. 20th Street, down the street from Santee High School, this Tuesday between 8:45 a.m. and 8:52 a.m.
“Salte pa fuera!” says a law enforcement officer to Parias, in a video shot by Pierre Rojas via ACatWithNews.
The video shows both federal agents and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) at the scene. Sirens can be heard blaring along with a helicopter overhead. Parias is pulled out of the vehicle with his hands behind his back.
“Ay me dieron un balazo!” Parias yells in agony, “Ay mi mano!”
LAPD and federal agents surround him and pull him to the side of the street, as Parias continues to yell out in pain. Parias falls to his knees as LAPD agents surround him. Federal agents approach. Later in the video, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) shows up.
Following the shooting, Rojas told the Los Angeles Times that his sister-in-law recorded the video after the shooting occurred.
LAFD told L.A. TACO that they responded to a reported shooting in the 400 block of E. 20th Street at 8:52 a.m. The fire department transported two adult males to a hospital following the incident.
In a statement posted on X, the LAPD wrote, “LAPD officers providing outer perimeter traffic control at the scene of a Federal Investigation. NO LAPD officers involved.”
In June, Parias was injured by federal immigration agents while he was wearing a black press vest. According to the criminal complaint shared with L.A. TACO by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Parias is accused of assault on a federal officer.
Video shows Parias in the Camry with his left arm bloodied around the forearm, as law enforcement stands on the driver’s side of his vehicle.
Another video shows Parias in a wheelchair stretcher with what appears to be a tourniquet and a bandage around his left arm, while LAFD firefighters attend to him.
What creates an arrest warrant is a removal order by an immigration judge or an investigation into the person that gives cause to believe a crime has been committed, making this person deportable, according to Pedro Chavez an immigration attorney with a large following on social media. Because of that they can sign off on the arrest warrant, he says.
But if agents are able to identify the person they are surveilling, as the individual they have the administrative warrant for, then that arrest warrant is all the agents need to stop the car. Ideally, agents want to make the arrest before the person gets in their car for their safety and surrounding communities. At that point, agents can stop and ram to effectuate the arrest. Agents are still required to use the least force possible before escalating their tactics, like flashing their lights to get the individual to stop the car willingly, according to Chavez.
The press release by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and a post on X by Acting Attorney Bill Essayli claimed that Parias would have an initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday.
L.A. TACO reached out to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District. We were told that Parias was still in the hospital and that no court hearing would be held.
L.A. TACO spoke with attorney Carols Jurado, Parias’ lawyer, on Wednesday evening. He said that he had been able to speak with his client on Wednesday morning. Jurado said that the call with Richard was not a protected call and he was not able to discuss case details with him. He said that Parias seemed confused about his well-being.
“The lack of access to our client is concerning and should concern everyone in this country,” Jurado said.
At 4 p.m. on Tuesday, a press conference was held by activist group Union del Barrio on E. 20th Street.
“They came here and they shot a member of our community in an escalation of the attacks, the violent repression, the violent attacks against our community,” said Ron Gochez, who founded L.A.’s Union del Barrio Chapter in 2004.
“We went on lockdown very briefly,” said Maria, a teacher from Santee Education Complex. “When I let the principal know ICE was here, I pointed them to her. And she said that I don’t pay her mortgage, that the district pays her mortgage. So even if she sees ICE in front of the school, it didn’t make a difference.”
Santee Education Complex was on lockdown for less than an hour–class starts at 8:30 a.m., the lockdown was initiated shortly before 9:03 a.m., and it was lifted around 9:30 a.m.–according to Maria and another teacher, Miguel, who L.A. TACO spoke with. (Miguel is not the teacher’s real name. He asked L.A. TACO to identify him using a pseudonym due to fear of retribution.)
When the lockdown was lifted, Maria had a conference period. She was concerned about the lockdown being lifted because students on the side of the campus that faces Maple Street were sending her text messages saying they were scared, along with pictures of ICE outside the school.
During her conference period, she approached the school’s administration. She asked them why they had lifted the lockdown. When she found interim principal Lucera Malone, she told Maria that ICE was no longer outside.
Miguel says he heard screeching tires, shouting, and helicopters overhead from his classroom. Santee Educational Complex is in South Central, near the Fashion District–he says these sounds and sights are not an uncommon occurrence. During the lockdown, students were instructed to stay away from the windows and doors.
Miguel played Mac Miller in the classroom to try to calm down the students.
“I feel like a flight attendant, my job is to make sure the students feel safe and are relaxed,” says Miguel.
Similar to a flight attendant, he has to trust that the pilot is doing their job, but that’s not always the case.
Maria says she went outside of the school and saw that ICE was still in front of the school. Maria walked Malone outside and pointed out the federal immigration agents.
“‘It is our school’s policy to be on lockdown if ICE is in the vicinity and they were on the front lawn, essentially,” Maria told L.A. TACO she told Malone.
Malone told Maria that the Los Angeles Unified School District had told her to lift the lockdown, and that she does not work for Maria. Her mortgage is paid by LAUSD.
In a statement to L.A. TACO, LAUSD wrote:
“When an incident on or off campus occurs that impacts the safety of a school’s campus, school and District administrators, the Los Angeles School Police Department (LASPD), and/or local law enforcement may initiate a lockdown. Once that concern is alleviated, the lockdown can be lifted.
Los Angeles Unified stands united in supporting students and families during this period of heightened immigration enforcement. Working closely with city leaders and municipal partners, we have strengthened safety measures at and around our schools. This includes enhanced communication with various entities, and rapid-response protocols should enforcement activity occur. Additionally, District staff are trained on access protocols, including who may enter a school site and what documentation is required. These safeguards reinforce our commitment to keeping our campuses safe and affirming spaces for all students, staff, and families regardless of immigration status.”
According to Miguel, the high school had an assembly earlier this school year about federal immigration procedures, but that happened before the current interim principal was assigned.
The basic school protocol according to Miguel in the event that ICE shows up is to lock all the access points. He said that one of his colleagues found that not all of the access points were locked. ICE is not supposed to be let into the school, and the principal is supposed to contact the district, who is supposed to send school police and a legal team.
Maria says her students were afraid the entire time–watching live footage of ICE outside of their school.
Miguel told L.A. TACO that following the lockdown, students continued to arrive at school, with their families dropping them off. He was extremely concerned about students and their families continuing to arrive as ICE was outside.
“It was upsetting to me knowing the lockdown had been lifted, knowing that that was going on outside. And it makes me wonder, how is our district actively, not reactively, proactively, making sure our students are safe?” said Miguel.
Maria says that students have been followed and asked about their immigration status on their way to and from school–and this incident adds to the anxiety.
The head of LAUSD operations went to the school and was very attentive to the needs of the school–creating a support room in the school for quiet time, according to Miguel.
Dr. Violeta Ruiz was the principal of Santee Educational Complex for a number of years–she stepped down at the beginning of this school year. Since Dr. Ruiz stepped down, there has been a series of interim principles, according to Miguel.
What Miguel wants most is for his students to feel safe. He says that every interim principal has their own idea of what’s important. He says, it is difficult for an interim principal to be responsive to the unique needs of the school since they are not able to develop a deep understanding of the community. He said that he is “hopeful” that whoever the next principal is will be understanding of the community’s needs.
Faculty, staff, and parents of Santee Education Complex wrote an open letter to the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, which is responsible for hiring a new principal. The letter expressed concerns about the “void” in leadership at the school.
Excerpts from the letter reviewed by L.A. TACO are included below:
“For nearly two months, Santee has been without a principal. While two interim principals have stepped up in the meantime, the lack of consistent leadership has significantly affected the functioning of our school and the morale of both the adults and students who call this campus home.”
“In the meantime, our campus languishes under uncertainty. Urgent needs spanning from our students’ chronic absenteeism to a basic lack of access to school supplies go unaddressed as each new interim principal – no matter how well-meaning – comes with their own agenda, upending any consistency already in place.”
The letter asks the Partnership to allow faculty and staff to elect a current Santee assistant principal to be placed as an interim principal for the rest of the 2025-2026 school year and to find an interim assistant principal to fill the position.
The letter was first shared on Oct. 16th. Following Tuesday’s events, a wave of new signatures arrived from teachers, students, and parents. The letter also contains comments submitted alongside the signatures.
“Very unacceptable for what she did and not protecting the students or thinking about the student at Santee who have no papers and self defense and [are] scared for their everyday lives make me infuriated, disgusted and sick I am so disappointed,” wrote one student.
Another student wrote, “I feel unsafe to be at school if the person who’s in charge of the school isn’t protecting the students and don’t feel okay going to school.”
“We need people that actually care for our students to be in charge, not just an individual who does not care for students in our community,” wrote one parent.
“After today’s situation 10/21/25 in front of Santee High. If the new interim principal won’t serve and protect the students then she doesn’t deserve the position let’s Demand her resignation NOW!” wrote another parent.
Following the shooting on Tuesday morning, there were 192 new signatures added to the open letter.
Students at Santee Educational Complex have held protests on campus since Tuesday.
On Wednesday, students held a protest during their lunch period. Students demanded their safety be taken seriously and wanted clarity regarding district policy on issuing a lockdown, according to a source that would like to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation.
“We don’t have a policy that dictates that we go on lockdown because ICE is in the area, that’s a fabricated reality. The policy dictates if ICE tries to come into the school, or is affecting the school in an adverse way, then yes, definitely, we go on lockdown,” the administrator of operations at LAUSD was overheard telling a group of students in a video reviewed by L.A. TACO.
L.A. TACO reached out LAUSD for response on this comment, and we have not heard back.
A picture sent to L.A. TACO by the anonymous source shows a flyer taped to a door on campus on Wednesday.
“I DON’T PAY YOUR MORTGAGE BUT OUR SAFETY DOESN’T HAVE A PRICE DOES IT?” is written on the flyer.
Thursday, a student-led walk out began during class time at around 10 a.m. and is ongoing, according to Miguel.
“What do we want? Safety! When do we want it? Now!” students chanted in the school courtyard.
Students were gathered at the entrance of the school. Some students walked out, and others stayed behind the gate. Many held signs and banners.
“PROTECT OUR STUDENTS, PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY,” read a banner held by students.
A student speaking through a megaphone demanded ICE out of their community.
According to Miguel, students of all grade levels are involved in today’s protest against the actions of the principal and against the presence of ICE, near campus. The protest ended around 2:30 p.m.
Principal Malone has been removed from Santee Educational Complex, according to Miguel. Principal Malone was still present at the school on Wednesday but not on Thursday.
L.A. TACO reached out to LAUSD for comment regarding rapid response protocols, student-led protests, and to confirm if Malone has been removed from her position. LAUSD shared school communications with the Santee community including messages to families about the student protests but did not respond directly to questions.
Former Interim Principal, Alexander Contreras, will be returning until the position is permanently filled, according to the communications provided by LAUSD.
On Tuesday, e-mails were sent by the school to parents of Santee students at 9:29 a.m, 10:57 a.m., and 2:45 p.m regarding federal agent presence. The first e-mail notified parents of the lockdown due to “law-enforcement activity in the area.”
“There is no evidence of a credible threat to our campus. We are also aware of a photo circulating that shows Homeland Security in front of our school earlier today; please note that federal immigration enforcement agents did not come on campus nor did they make any requests of the school,” reads the second e-mail which announced the end of the lockdown.
The third e-mail notifies parents that due to continued law enforcement activity, Maple Ave. is closed and student picks ups will be moved to Los Angeles St.
A staff e-mail that was delivered at 11:52 a.m read: “The law enforcement activity is part of an ongoing investigation unrelated to our school. The Los Angeles School Police Department has confirmed that there is no evidence of a credible threat to our campus. Please note that the area remains an active investigation site and the front of our school is not accessible through Maple Avenue. We expect this to continue throughout the day and are planning for a modified dismissal. Additional details will be shared once plans are finalized. We will continue to adhere to District policy on this matter.” The e-mail also offered staff mental health resources.
A school announcement at 2:20 p.m. read: “Law enforcement is still in the area due to an ongoing investigation, but it is not related to our school. There is no credible threat to our campus, and the Los Angeles School Police Department will remain on site to support us throughout the day. I want to take a moment to thank our staff and students for staying calm and following directions so quickly. Your cooperation helped keep everyone safe.” The e-mail also notified that there would be two spaces for support, the Dream Center for teachers and the Serenity Room for students.
The end of the lockdown was only announced to staff and students over the school’s public address system, according to Miguel. He is certain that the lockdown was lifted at 9:30 a.m. because his students were instructed to go to their first period class at that time.
He says, that if the lockdown would have been in effect, students and staff would have stayed in their eighth period class which begins at 8:30 a.m.
During a lockdown students are required to remain in the classroom–no one is allowed to leave, even for bathroom use. An attendance chart reviewed by L.A. TACO, shows that Miguel took attendance for the first period. First period normally starts at 9:06 a.m. due to the lockdown his students arrived at 9:30 a.m. First period ended at its normally scheduled time of 9:59 a.m. The rest of the day proceeded at the normal bell schedule.
Additionally in the attendance chart reviewed by L.A. TACO, a student is marked tardy at 9:45 a.m. He says if the school were to truly have been in lockdown–a student would not have been able to enter the classroom or even walk the halls.
“Perhaps there was a modified lockdown where only access to entering the school was prevented?” Miguel wonders.
In the communications shared by LAUSD, there was no mention of a “partial lockdown.”
In text messages reviewed by L.A. TACO, another staffer states the lockdown was lifted at 9:30 a.m.
A timestamp on a picture that the staff member took shows an unmarked vehicle parked behind an LAPD patroller on the side of the street closest to the school at 9:57 a.m.
On Wednesday, two messages were sent from the director of operations to Santee families at 2:28 p.m. and 8:38 p.m. that addressed the student-led protest that occurred during lunch. In the e-mail, the director expressed respect and support of students right to express their views, said that the campus was safe, and reaffirmed the resources the school district was making available to the Santee community.
On Thursday, five e-mails were sent to Santee families, and one announcement was made regarding the student-led walk-out. The e-mails provided updates about the status of the protest and reaffirmed the school’s support and respect for student demonstrations.
“While we respect the right to express concerns, we kindly ask that students remain on campus during school hours and we will provide a safe space for students to engage in open dialogue and express their thoughts respectfully,” read the first e-mail sent out at 9:10 a.m.
One of the five e-mails noted that if a student voluntarily left campus or their classroom, they would be directed to return back to the classroom or campus. The communication said the school could not guarantee the safety of students at off-campus demonstrations.
The e-mails continued to reiterate the resources available to staff, students, and their families.
The school announcement at 3 p.m. thanked students for peacefully protesting and engaging in constructive conversations with district officials. Admin noted that there was a police investigating related to an unhoused individual on Los Angeles St., but it did not involve ICE.
Additional reporting by Lexis Olivier-Ray.