A video taken Friday in North Hollywood shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detaining a man while pointing a handgun at an unarmed bystander during the operation.
The footage, recorded by a local resident, shows ICE agents in tactical gear labeled 'ICE Police' detaining a man on the sidewalk near the Ivy Apartments on Vineland Place and Otsego Street at approximately 8:30 a.m. The detained man, identified by officials as Angel Luis Gonzalez Lobo from Venezuela, was taken into custody after failing to appear for a court date, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
During the arrest, a bystander walking two dogs approached the scene and appeared to pick up an unidentified object. Two ICE agents then rushed toward the bystander, one of whom pushed him into nearby bushes while holding a handgun. The bystander tossed the object away, and the agent stepped back. The bystander later ran down the street after another agent reportedly pointed pepper spray at him. The object he picked up was discarded further away, and its contents remain unclear.
DHS confirmed in a statement that Gonzalez Lobo was taken into custody pending removal proceedings and would receive due process. The agency described the bystander as being armed with pepper spray, stating it created 'a moment of chaos.'
The video, first published by the Los Angeles Times and credited to Damari Butler, has circulated widely on social media. Witnesses described the scene as tense, with one resident, Damari Butler, stating, 'He draws his gun and puts it right in the guy's face. Which was insane. At that moment, I realized how real this was.'
ICE operations in Los Angeles have drawn increased scrutiny in recent months amid reports of more aggressive enforcement tactics following policy changes implemented in early 2025. The incident occurred during a period marked by a decline in illegal border crossings but an increase in high-profile enforcement actions by ICE.
Officials have not commented on whether an internal review of the incident will be conducted. The DHS statement did not address the use of force against the bystander or the circumstances leading to the pepper spray deployment. The identity of the ICE agents involved has not been disclosed, and no further details about the detained man’s legal status have been provided beyond the DHS statement.