Los Angeles man blinded by officer’s projectile at anti-ICE protest, claim says
Key Takeaways
- Jesus Javier Gomez Islas, 23, alleges he was struck in the face by a law-enforcement projectile at a 31 January protest and has permanently lost sight in his right eye.
- Gomez Islas filed a formal claim against the City of Los Angeles seeking $100m; the filing is a precursor to a potential lawsuit.
- His lawyers say analysis suggests the munition came from an LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) weapon, though federal officers from DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) were also present.
- The LAPD declined to comment on pending litigation; the claim also alleges lack of on-scene medical aid and notes risk to the other eye.
What happened
Jesus Javier Gomez Islas says he was struck at about 9:40pm on 31 January outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, a frequent site of protests against ICE. He told attorneys and reporters he was on a scooter in work clothes when he suddenly felt “something punch my eye,” could not open his right eye, and later learned doctors said he would not regain sight there. Video circulated by his attorneys shows green paint and an apparent explosion near his head, but the footage does not clearly show where the projectile originated; it has been reported that federal officers were also in the area at the time.
Legal claim and official responses
Gomez Islas filed a legal claim against the City of Los Angeles — a formal step that often precedes a lawsuit under California law — seeking $100m in damages and alleging permanent vision loss and a traumatic brain injury. His lawyers say their analysis points to an LAPD-fired munition, but that is not independently confirmed; it has been reported that the identity of the officer who fired the projectile has not been established. The LAPD declined to comment on pending litigation, and city and DHS officials did not immediately respond to inquiries. The claim also alleges that officers did not provide immediate medical assistance at the scene; that allegation is made in the filing and is therefore described as alleged.
What this means for immigrants, protesters and next steps
The incident underscores risks for protesters near immigration facilities and the broader chilling effect such injuries can have on immigrant communities and activists. The Metropolitan Detention Center holds immigration detainees, and protesters who travel to such sites are often family members, community advocates, or individuals directly affected by enforcement policies. For anyone injured at a protest: seek prompt medical care, preserve any video or witness information, and consult an attorney about deadlines and remedies — under California law, filing a government claim is typically required before suing a city. The case also raises familiar legal questions about officer accountability, evidentiary gaps in chaotic crowd scenes, and potential defenses such as claims of lawful crowd-control use; those issues will shape whether and how the claim proceeds to court.
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