Los Angeles Man Blinded in One Eye by Police Projectile at Immigration Protest
A 23-year-old Los Angeles man, Jesus Javier Gomez Islas, has filed a legal claim against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) after he was blinded in one eye by a projectile fired during an immigration protest. The incident occurred on 31 January outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal facility that has been a focal point for demonstrations against Donald Trump's immigration policies.
Permanent Vision Loss and Legal Action
Gomez Islas, who attended the "ICE Out" rally, stated in his claim that doctors have informed him he will not regain sight in his right eye, where he was struck. His lawyers have warned that complications from the injury could also threaten the vision in his left eye. The claim, which is a precursor to a lawsuit, alleges excessive force, assault, battery, negligence, and infliction of emotional distress, seeking $100 million in damages from the city of Los Angeles.
"I'm absolutely devastated, frustrated, and betrayed by what we call law enforcement that are not really enforcing the law, but only bringing violence against our people," Gomez Islas said at a briefing in his attorney's office. "What they've done is horrible, monstrous, and for what?"
Chaotic Scene and Video Evidence
According to the claim, the incident happened around 9:40 p.m., just minutes after Gomez Islas arrived at the protest. He was on his scooter, heading home from his job at a department store, when he stopped to see someone he knew. Video footage shared by his attorneys shows a chaotic scene with an explosion of green paint near his head, though the source of the projectile is not clearly visible. Another video, which circulated on social media, depicts the aftermath with Gomez Islas on the ground, his face covered in green paint as other demonstrators assisted him.
Gomez Islas recounted the moment of impact: "I was in my work uniform at the time, dress shirt, dress pants, not posing a threat at all. Then suddenly I just felt something punch my eye ... I couldn't open my right eye. I was panicking ... I was scared."
LAPD Response and Historical Context
The LAPD declined to comment on the pending litigation, while the LA city attorney's office and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to inquiries. In a public disclosure, the LAPD revealed that officers used an "FN 303" launcher that night, a weapon capable of firing paint rounds, and claimed demonstrators had thrown rocks and fireworks at officers.
This incident follows a federal judge's ruling two weeks prior, which restricted LAPD officers' use of "less-lethal" launchers at protests due to violations of previous court orders. The LAPD has faced ongoing litigation over its deployment of projectiles, with concerns about serious injuries. Earlier in January, two demonstrators at a different immigration protest in Santa Ana reported being blinded by projectiles fired by federal agents.
Life-Altering Consequences and Calls for Accountability
Gomez Islas has not returned to work since the incident and, as an avid cyclist, now fears going out in public due to his severely reduced vision. "I'm actually a bit more scared to go out in public now, because I'm afraid of bumping into people and causing problems and disturbances," he said.
His lawyer, Jamal Tooson, emphasized, "No amount of money is going to bring my client's vision back. His life has changed forever ... we are going to do our very best to hold [LAPD] accountable, to bring about change." Civil rights lawyer Carol Sobel, who is not involved in this case but has long challenged the LAPD's use of projectiles, criticized the ongoing harm: "It's astonishing to me that the city doesn't have this under control."
