Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson has asked for an independent investigation into ICE agents’ use of force during the detention of Ricardo Gonzalez in North Long Beach on Saturday.
Videos show agents holding Gonzalez face down in a gutter and handcuffing him as he cries out about his arm. Gonzalez told Richardson he is a U.S. citizen. The mayor said Gonzalez had called 911 after seeing unmarked vehicles and a crowd gathering near Locust Avenue and Ellis Street.
By the time police arrived, Gonzalez was on the ground seeking medical help after being struck by a vehicle, Richardson said. Gonzalez’s daughter, Leslie, said agents shocked him twice with a Taser and pinned him down before he was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Witnesses said his arm was broken, but the available account does not establish when that happened.
Richardson filed a complaint Monday with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and asked that the agents involved be taken off field duty pending an investigation. The department had not responded to a request for comment by Monday.
Please note! Comments are published by readers. The opinions expressed may not reflect the position of the editorial team. NYCT is not responsible for the content of readers' opinions and asks authors to observe moral standards, not to incite national or racial hatred, and to avoid rudeness. Think before you speak. You are responsible for your words! By publishing an opinion, you agree to the rules! If this request is ignored, NYCT reserves the right to deprive the user of the ability to leave comments.