Masked ICE agents let man go after community members intervene during raid in Downey
DOWNEY, Calif. (KABC) -- Masked ICE agents attempted to arrest a man in Downey during one of three reported raids Wednesday morning, but they let him go after community members intervened.
In a video obtained by Eyewitness News, the man is seen on the ground next to his bike surrounded by federal police.
Community members filmed the attempted arrest and after calling out the federal agents, the man was let go.
According to Downey councilman Mario Trujillo, the man was working when he noticed ICE was at his job. He immediately started riding his bike toward the apartments.
That's when one of the agents stopped him by grabbing one of the tires, causing him to fall to the ground.
People began shouting for the agents to leave him alone and told the man not to sign anything.
Moments later, the agents let the man go and left.
Melyssa Rivas, who lives in the area, captured the whole thing on camera.
"It looked like a full on kidnapping scene out of a movie, it was scary," Rivas said. ""My dad has papers, he has his citizenship but he looks just like that man. He's a full citizen. They stereotyped that man."
He was eventually let go for unknown reasons, but Trujillo told Eyewitness News that raids took place at the LA Fitness, a car wash, a Home Depot and even homes.
"I think this places my community in fear. Instead of providing public safety. We're creating chaos and fear which will definitely impact the economy of my city," he said. ""Random gardeners in front of homes and businesses here in Downey were detained and abducted. At this point there's just fear in our community."
Trujillo said the city's economy is now suffering due to the raids.
"Our car washes are closed now. We're starting to feel the impact in the economics of our businesses. Less attendance at our restaurants," he said.
The raids took place as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and several other Southern California mayors met to call for the end to ICE raids.
