Civil rights attorneys frame the New Year’s Eve death of Keith Porter Jr., 43, as yet another example of federal overreach and racial injustice, but law enforcement sources and video evidence paint a different picture.
An off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Porter on New Year’s Eve. Los Angeles civil rights lawyer Ben Crump said Porter’s life was “stolen” by an ICE agent and pledged to “stand with Keith Porter Jr.’s family until there is justice, transparency, and answers.”
“Keith Porter Jr. was a father of two, a son, and a brother whose life was stolen by an off-duty ICE agent. His family gathered in grief demanding the truth. We will continue to stand with Keith Porter Jr.’s family until there is justice, transparency, and answers,” Crump said.
Bro he was shooting an AR in the air in a residential apartment complex
And when an off duty ice agent WHO LIVED THERE told him to stop firing an AR in the air, Porter instead aimed at the ice agent and fired at him multiple times lmao
…THEN he got shot by ICE. https://t.co/eITbif2QnQ
— BurningTheGoyimWithAMagnifyingGlassSimulator (@fleshsimulator) January 13, 2026
Should there be an independent investigation into the shooting of Keith Porter Jr. by an ICE agent?
Another lawyer representing the family, Lee Merritt, made the same claims as Crump.
“Authorities allege Keith fired celebratory gunshots into the air as midnight approached. An off-duty ICE agent who lived in the building confronted him and shot him. The agent’s name has not been released, and LAPD has not interviewed him, citing federal protocols,” Merritt wrote. “Multiple agencies are investigating, while the DA says charging decisions could take years. Keith’s family is demanding transparency, evidence, and an independent investigation. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
The Department of Homeland Security said the off-duty ICE agent heard gunfire near his Northridge apartment and went outside to investigate. Officials added that the agent encountered Porter armed with a rifle, ordered him to drop the weapon, and returned fire after Porter allegedly fired multiple shots, leaving the agent uninjured.
At a press conference, authorities said the agent believed the gunfire was moving closer to his residence and said Porter aimed the rifle at him during the confrontation. Other reporting said the agent described the shooting as self-defense, while Porter’s family and community advocates dispute that account and demand accountability and transparency.
The DHS did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Customs Enforcement/Creative Commons/Flickr)
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