Crowds gathered Tuesday morning to question the Los Angeles Police Commission about a fatal off-duty ICE officer-involved shooting in Northridge on New Year’s Eve. Federal officials say the shooting was justified, while family members and activists claim it was unjust.
The shooting occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2025, in the 17000 block of Roscoe Boulevard. The LAPD said a report came in of a man firing rifle rounds into the air. Officers arriving at the apartment complex found 43-year-old Keith Porter Jr. suffering from a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Early reports identified the shooter as an off-duty federal agent, later confirmed as an ICE officer. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the officer, saying he responded to an active shooter situation and acted to protect lives.
Porter’s family and civil rights group Project Islamic Hope have called for an independent investigation, claiming the officer overreacted. “We believe Keith Porter Jr. was unjustly shot and killed by an overzealous off-duty ICE agent,” said Project Director Najee Ali.
At the Police Commission meeting, Porter’s relatives and activists criticized the handling of the case, claiming the officer faced no immediate questioning, sobriety tests, or accountability. Cousin Jsane Tyler said Porter was merely firing rounds in celebration and demanded the officer be arrested. Community activist Edward Pitzer called for “police accountability, not qualified immunity.”
The LAPD’s investigation remains ongoing. A GoFundMe has been set up to support Porter’s daughters. The incident came a week before another fatal ICE officer-involved shooting in Minneapolis that sparked nationwide protests.
Leave a Reply