Viral Video Shows ICE Agent Pointing Gun at Dog Owner During North Hollywood Arrest

A video circulating online captures a tense confrontation in North Hollywood where masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents appear to point a gun at an unarmed neighbor during an arrest on Friday morning. The footage, which has drawn attention from local officials, shows the agents taking 27-year-old Angel Luis Gonzalez Lobo into custody. His brother, who spoke to reporters, said he did not know the reason for the detention.

The video shows three agents lifting Gonzalez Lobo by his arms and legs while he is handcuffed. He is heard crying out in pain as they drag him toward a vehicle. Witness Damari Butler, who filmed the incident, described the scene as chaotic. He stated that the agents seemed unsure of their actions and appeared to use excessive force to complete the arrest.

During the arrest, an agent approaches a neighbor walking two dogs on the sidewalk. The neighbor had just picked up what looked like a canister of pepper spray from the ground. He quickly tossed the object aside and told the agents, “I thought it was his!” The agent then points a gun at the man’s face and pushes him into a bush. Butler said the neighbor stepped back slightly, prompting the agent to back him into the shrubbery with the weapon near his face.

Butler expressed shock at the interaction, saying, “I thought that was the end for him.” He noted that the agent eventually walked back to Gonzalez Lobo, who was on the ground. Butler observed that the agents appeared to tase Gonzalez Lobo while he was down. They then hogtied him and threw him into the back of a truck. A second car arrived as the agents worked to secure him in the vehicle.

In a separate moment captured on video, the dog owner picks up another item from the ground. An agent rushes toward him and orders him to put it down. The agent then appears to spray something at the neighbor. Butler said the overall atmosphere felt disorganized, as if the agents were willing to use whatever force was necessary to get what they needed.

Neighbor Nancy, who witnessed the event, said she felt scared for both the man being dragged and her own son. She stated that she did not feel safe walking outside her apartment building. She described the scene as sad, noting that the violence was visible to anyone in the area.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement calling the incident unacceptable. She said she is engaging the Attorney General’s Office to investigate and prosecute any wrongdoing by the federal agents. Bass also referred the matter to the Office of U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the committee overseeing federal immigration enforcement. She added that new state laws have implemented accountability measures to protect communities from such actions.

Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Nithya Raman posted on social media that she is outraged by the reports. She described Los Angeles as not being a playground for the administration’s operations. Raman stated that residents should not have to live in fear while going to work or taking their children to school. The Department of Homeland Security had not responded to requests for more information as of the time of reporting.