A federal agent opened fire during an operation Wednesday morning in Willowbrook, prompting a large response from local and federal authorities.
A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the US Border Patrol or the Department of Homeland Security was involved in the shooting near the intersection of 126th Street and Mona Boulevard.
Shortly after 7 am, the Border Patrol informed the Sheriff’s Department that the agency was conducting an operation in the area, according to the LASD. The shooting happened shortly after.
In a statement provided to ABC7, Homeland Security said the targeted operation began in nearby Compton, “to arrest a violent criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, William Eduardo Moran Carballo, who is involved in a human smuggling operation and has two prior arrests for inflicting bodily injury on a spouse or cohabitant.”
An immigration judge issued Carballo a final order of removal in 2019, according to DHS.
“In a dangerous attempt to evade arrest, this criminal illegal alien weaponized his vehicle and hit law enforcement,” said the Internal Security statement. “Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired defensive shots. The criminal illegal alien was not hit and attempted to flee on foot. He was successfully apprehended by law enforcement. The illegal alien was not injured, but a CBP officer was injured.”
Details of the officer’s injury were not released.
Along with several federal agents in tactical gear, sheriff’s deputies, California Highway Patrol officers responded to the scene.
“This situation is evolving, and more information is forthcoming,” DHS said.
Meanwhile, the FBI told ABC7 the agency was not part of the operation and said an evidence response team was on its way to the scene.
The crowd grows larger after the federal agent opens fire
A large group of residents and activists gathered near the scene late Wednesday morning as more agents arrived, denouncing their presence.
Some were seen holding Mexican flags and filming videos on their phones. At one point, the group was yelling at members of the sheriff’s department.
“I saw the car crash… it was just crazy,” said one resident who lives in the area. “It’s just crazy how they’re coming here and interrupting everybody’s livelihood and their life … this is just their life.”
Some of the people featured are TikTokers who said they are working to be the voice for those who may be afraid.
“The federal ones … like to come and go,” said Angie Vargas, a local TikToker and live streamer. “They like to move fast, so the fact that they are here and this incident happened, I think honestly, they came to the wrong city. Many of us are against what is happening, but yes, they are around our city, and I think there are many of us out here … we support the community, we are an extra set of eyes for them. That is why we are filming everything … We are bringing the truth here. what is going on, because there are many people who they are afraid to go out and see what is going on.”