A man has been arrested and charged after allegedly shooting paintballs at a federal officer during the protests in downtown Los Angeles last week.
Edwin Osvaldo Manriquez was accused of pulling the trigger on a paintball gun and dispersing multiple rounds on the afternoon of June 9 near the Federal Building on Los Angeles Street in downtown L.A., according to an affidavit filed by the FBI in court.
An officer with the Federal Protective Service was hit. The service is an arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that protects federal buildings.
“The paintballs hit him on the head, left ear, left cheek, left neck and left shoulder,” the affidavit says; the officer wore a helmet and protective gear.
Manriquez was charged with assault on a federal officer.
The officers were stationed at the main entrance of the Federal Building to ensure protesters didn’t enter the structure, the affidavit says.
The suspect is accused of pulling the trigger while in the passenger seat of a white 2005 Infiniti G35 coupe. After firing the paintball gun, the suspect allegedly “threw a hand sign with his left hand while still holding the paintball gun in his right hand,” the affidavit says. Both the suspected shooter and the driver were wearing face coverings.
Investigators were able to identify Manriquez and the driver after the vehicle’s license plate number was caught on video, according to the court document. After obtaining a warrant, FBI agents on Friday searched the driver’s home and “found the paintball gun used in the assault” in the person’s garage, and paintballs in both the car and the garage, the affidavit says.
The man confirmed to the FBI that he was, indeed, driving the vehicle when the paintball rounds were fired, the affidavit says.
In text messages between the suspected shooter and the driver on the night of June 9, the document states, the driver indicated he disagreed with the suspect about shooting at federal officers. “[I]f they come for me for that paintball … I’m sorry bruh but I ain’t going to jail,” the driver wrote.
“[T]hey ain’t [gonna] get us … we had our face covered,” the suspect allegedly texted back.
“I told u not to shoot them bruh they not part of immigration,” the driver responded.
“And u literally shot one in the face bro … better hope they don’t come to me,” the driver later wrote.
The suspect was arrested on Friday and appeared before a federal magistrate on Monday. Manriquez was released on bond for home monitoring, according to Laura Eimiller, an FBI spokesperson.
A number of other people are facing federal charges tied to activity during protests against immigration raids. Alleged crimes include hurling a Molotov cocktail at sheriff’s deputies and throwing cinder blocks at federal law enforcement; others, however, are facing prison time for seemingly more minor skirmishes.
One charge that has caused consternation among some members of the public is the decision to charge David Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union California.
Huerta was arrested while documenting an immigration enforcement raid in the downtown Fashion District; federal officials said Huerta deliberately blocked their vehicles, obstructing agents’ access to a work site where they were executing a search warrant. Video of the arrest shows the labor leader pushed by authorities in riot gear until he falls backward, appearing to strike his head on the curb.
The L.A. County district attorney, Nathan Hochman, has also brought charges against people who allegedly attacked police, vandalized buildings and robbed stores during recent protests. Hochman vowed to “fiercely protect people’s rights to peacefully assemble” but also warned that those who engaged in violence, theft or property destruction would face severe consequences.
Times staff writers Salvador Hernandez, Brittny Mejia and James Queally contributed to this report.
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