Video Raises Questions About Force Used During North Hollywood Arrest
A video recorded outside an apartment complex in North Hollywood shows federal immigration agents taking a man into custody during a tense encounter. The arrest drew concern from neighbors after the man was pulled toward a vehicle while handcuffed.
Man Taken Away in Handcuffs
The incident happened outside the Ivy at NOHO apartments on Otsego Street. In the video, several masked agents surround a man on the ground and move him toward a waiting vehicle.
Three agents appear to lift the man by his arms and legs. He can be heard crying out in pain as they carry him. His family identified him as 27-year-old Angel Luis Gonzalez Lobo, a Venezuelan man. His brother said the family does not know why he was arrested.
The video also shows what appears to be a second confrontation with a nearby resident who was walking two dogs.
Neighbor Confronted Near the Street
As agents worked to move the arrested man, a neighbor picked up an object from the sidewalk that appeared to be a canister of pepper spray. He quickly tossed it away and said, “I thought it was his!”
An agent then moved toward the neighbor. The agent appeared to hold a gun near the man’s face and pushed him backward into a bush. The neighbor did not appear to be carrying a weapon.
The neighbor’s two dogs were nearby during the confrontation. The scene caused alarm among people who lived in the apartment complex and those passing through the area.
Witness Damari Butler recorded part of the struggle. Butler said the neighbor stepped forward slightly before the agent pulled out the gun and forced him into the bushes. Butler described the moment as frightening and said he feared the neighbor might be seriously hurt.
More Force Used During Arrest
The agent eventually moved away from the neighbor and returned to the man being held on the ground.
Butler said the video appeared to show agents using a stun device on the arrested man. Butler also said agents seemed to tie the man’s arms and legs together before placing him inside the vehicle. A second car arrived while agents were trying to get him into the first vehicle.
The video later shows the neighbor picking up another item from the ground. An agent rushed toward him and ordered him to put it down. The agent then appeared to spray the neighbor with a substance.
Butler described the entire encounter as disorganized and chaotic. He said the agents appeared willing to use heavy force to complete the arrest.
Residents Say They Felt Unsafe
Several neighbors said they were disturbed by what they saw. Nancy, who lives at the apartment complex, said watching the arrest in person made the situation feel much more serious.
She said she felt afraid for the man being taken away, as well as for herself and her son. She added that she would have felt unsafe leaving the building during the confrontation, whether her child was with her or not.
- The arrested man was shown handcuffed and moved toward a vehicle.
- Agents appeared to lift him by his arms and legs.
- A nearby resident was pushed into bushes during a confrontation.
- An agent appeared to point a gun near the resident’s face.
- The video appeared to show additional force used against both men.
Local Leaders Demand Answers
The video led local leaders to call for an investigation into the agents’ actions.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the conduct shown in the video was unacceptable. She said she was asking the state attorney general’s office to examine the incident and pursue possible wrongdoing by federal agents.
Bass also referred the matter to the office of U.S. Representative Robert Garcia, who is involved in congressional oversight of federal immigration enforcement. She said state laws were created to improve accountability and protect local communities.
Los Angeles City Council member and mayoral candidate Nithya Raman also criticized the arrest. She said residents should not have to fear going to work, taking their children to school, or carrying out normal daily activities because of federal immigration operations.
Questions Remain About the Encounter
The video has raised questions about why the arrest took place, what led agents to confront the neighbor, and whether the amount of force used was justified.
The identity and condition of the arrested man were not fully explained. It also remained unclear whether the neighbor faced any charges after the confrontation.
Residents said they want clear answers about what happened outside their homes and whether the agents followed proper rules during the arrest.