LOS ANGELES (AP) — Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a well-known Los Angeles TikTok streamer, was shot by federal officers while trying to evade arrest on Tuesday morning. Authorities state that Parias, charged with assaulting a federal officer, attempted to ram his vehicle into theirs while they tried to arrest him on an immigration warrant. As a Mexican citizen living illegally in the U.S., Parias has garnered significant attention on social media, documenting police activities and community events.
After the shooting, in which he was hit in the elbow, Parias was hospitalized and is currently in stable condition. Despite his attorney Carlos Jurado's efforts, Parias has not yet had visitors due to hospital policies. Jurado expressed concern over his client's detention and the inability to speak with family.
With over 340,000 followers combined on two TikTok accounts, Parias's content ranges from coverage of car accidents to demonstrations against immigration enforcement. His real-time reporting serves as a vital resource for the South LA community, providing immediate alerts about local immigration raids and police activity.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price recognized Parias for his contributions to local reporting, emphasizing the anxiety many residents face regarding immigration enforcement in their neighborhoods. News of Parias’s shooting has sparked discussions about the role of community reporting in informing residents and protecting rights during police interactions.
On the morning of the incident, federal agents were surveilling Parias's neighborhood when they attempted to arrest him. The confrontation escalated as Parias allegedly drove his vehicle backward and forward, hitting law enforcement vehicles, which led to officers firing into the vehicle.
This was not Parias's first encounter with immigration agents; he previously faced a tense situation while documenting an immigration action where he reported being pushed and having to go to the hospital. Advocates for immigrant rights stress that community-led reporting is crucial in countering aggressive immigration tactics and holding authorities accountable.
As Parias remains hospitalized, his case reflects a larger narrative about the intersection of immigration enforcement and community activism, highlighting the importance of independent voices in reporting on these sensitive issues.
