A man has suffered serious injuries after he participated in a demonstration held last week in Santa Ana in support of Renee Good, a Minnesota woman fatally shot by an immigration agent.
As video shot by a freelance photographer showed the protester was dragged into the Santa Ana federal building by an agent, the injured man’s friends said Tuesday that one of his eyes became severely injured.
The demonstration happened last Friday after 8 p.m. in front of the Santa Ana federal building after most of the peaceful protesters left. But footage from the demonstration site later that night showed violent clashes between protesters and authorities.
One video clip appeared to capture the sound of less lethal rounds being fired as federal agents approached a crowd gathered on the building’s steps. NBC Los Angeles could not independently confirm what had happened before the video was shot.
The same footage then showed a man with a megaphone had a brief struggle as more less lethal rounds were fired.
Moments later, another man was seen kneeling face down on the ground.
Shortly after, federal agents grabbed him by the collar and dragged him into the building. His face appeared to be bloody.
The injured man, according to his friend, was hospitalized and unable to speak publicly.
“I heard a bang, and suddenly I was on my knees,” the man, who was identified as “K,” said in a statement read by his friend. “It hadn’t dawned on me what had happened; everything was a blur.”
The man’s friend, Rue el Amar, said he suffered a serious eye injury. It would require surgery, and he may not regain vision, she said.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said two officers were injured, and two protesters were arrested and charged with assault on a federal officer and disorderly conduct.
When asked about K’s injuries, the DHS said, “One of the rioters, who was arrested for disorderly conduct, was taken to the hospital for a cut and was released that night.”
Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said local officials will look into getting more information on what had happened, but he said it will likely be limited.
“Federal agencies right now have little to no discussion with our local agencies. That is very rare, something unlike what we’ve seen. We’ve always worked in tandem with one another so information is readily available,” Sarmiento said.
The Santa Ana Police Department said it was not involved in the incident.
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