- Family refutes ‘active shooter’ claim, says man was firing into air recklessly, not violently
- ICE agent acted irrationally, leading to death instead of arrest, according to family’s lawyer
- This incident is part of a pattern of questionable ICE killings of civilians, including a white mother in Minnesota
New Year’s Eve is supposed to be a celebratory time where people gather with their family and friends to appreciate what they’ve done; and to feel hopeful about what lies ahead. Unfortunately, for a Northridge, Calif., family, the end of the year will forever be marked with pain and grieving.
Keith Porter Jr. was gunned down by an off-duty ICE agent as he was allegedly responding to an “active shooter” by the Department of Homeland Security. Last week, Tricia McLaughlin released a statement condemning Porter and praising the trigger-happy officer.
via The LA Times:
“On December 31st, an off-duty ICE Officer bravely responded to an active shooter situation at his apartment complex,” the statement read. “In order to protect his life and that of others, he was forced to defensively use his weapon and exchanged gunfire with the shooter.”
Porter’s family is vehemently refuting this claim while also being completely transparent about what was actually happening before he was killed.
On the night of New Year’s Eve, Porter was firing an AR-15 style rifle into the air as many are apt to do on holiday. This is a reckless behavior that puts the public in danger as the bullets fired rain down from the sky. However, the family’s attorney, Jamal Tooson, spoke at a press conference last week to make clear the very real distinction between an “active shooter” and irresponsibly shooting into the air.
“What should have been an arrest and possible citation has turned into a death sentence and potentially cold-blooded murder from an ICE agent who was not equipped to handle the situation,” said Tooson.
Some will balk at the distinction but this isn’t just a matter of semantics; a law enforcement officer acted irrationally, and a man lost his life instead of facing justice. That matters. His life matters.
Adrian Metoyer, Porter’s best friend, is disgusted by the insinuation that the father of two daughters was behaving violently or with malevolence, according to a separate LA Times article.
“I can’t even fathom that idea of him being looked at in a negative light. Calling the officer a hero, before any investigation had been conducted…this is ridiculous,” said Metoyer.
Earlier this week, an ICE agent in Minneapolis shot and killed a white mother of three, Renee Nicole Good, as she attempted to flee an officer yanking on her door handle. While it is understandable that people are appalled and angry about her death, she is not the only person who has lost their life at the hands of these militarized rogue agents who have been sicced on American citizens in the name of immigration control.
BOSSIP will be keeping close watch on this case. Rest in peace, Keith Porter Jr.
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