Off-duty DHS agent charged in gunpoint traffic stop of California teen

Southern California authorities said they arrested an off-duty Department of Homeland Security agent after he was accused of pulling a gun on a teenage boy during a traffic stop.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said they took Gerardo Rodriguez into custody last week after the 17-year-old boy’s parents reported the confrontation to police.

Mr. Rodriguez, 45, faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, assault by a public officer and child endangerment in the Nov. 10 incident that took place late at night in Temecula.

The man flashed a badge and then ordered the teen driver out of the car at gunpoint at about 10:40 p.m., police said. The boy followed the orders and was later released to his parents.

Greg Kirakosian, an attorney representing the family, said the man identified himself as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer when interacting with the boy. Mr. Korakosian also shared a video of the incident with KTLA.

“Freeze! Police! Put the car in f——— park. Get out of the car. Turn it off, get out,” Mr. Rodriguez shouted while aiming his firearm at the teen driver, according to the video. “You’re speeding in the f——— neighborhood. Come over here, sit down, get your a— down. You have a driver’s license?”

The Washington Times contacted ICE about Mr. Rodriguez. The agency directed the inquiry to DHS “about the [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] employee.”

Both DHS and CBP said “this matter is under investigation.”

Mr. Kirakosian said neighbors diffused the situation before the boy’s parents could arrive and asked Mr. Rodriguez to go back inside his home. The family, who is Mexican-American, called the police shortly after they arrived.

Bystanders have documented aggressive behavior from immigration agents as the Trump administration cracks down on illegal immigration, saying the surges in mainly Democrat-led cities will combat crime.

This month, a viral video captured an agent pulling out a gun and accusing a woman of following him in Santa Ana, California.

But agents have also faced hostilities from people who oppose the immigration raids, particularly in major cities.

DHS said it charged a Mexican national in a Nov. 9 shooting in Chicago that targeted Border Patrol agents. Authorities said the suspect has a criminal record that includes past convictions for felony gun possession.

Also in Chicago, officials said agents were targeted in two separate vehicle ramming attacks. An American woman was charged in one of the rammings, while two illegal immigrants from Venezuela were charged in another.

Last month in Southern California, DHS said ICE agents shot a driver who tried to run over officers in the middle of an operation.

The agency said threats against ICE personnel have spiked 8,000% since President Trump began his push for deportations this year.

The DHS also said assaults against ICE staff have increased by 1,000%, but did not provide data to support their claim.