As masked federal agents detained people in Los Angeles streets, Parias was often there streaming and recording.
“We usually follow him because he’s always telling us stories about the ICE raids,” said a woman whose mother sells pupusas out of a cart.
He can be seen holding his right leg, apparently in pain as multiple federal agents stand around and a crowd gathers.
Gochez saw Parias on the ground screaming as immigration agents tried to take him into custody.
In response, ICE agents stopped the truck, and handcuffed someone who had been sitting in the backseat.
Around South L, Carlitos Ricardo Parias had been monitoring ICE raids. A. . and creating videos for TikTok for months, attracting hundreds of thousands of followers who relied on his social media accounts for crucial information about the whereabouts of federal immigration officers.
Parias frequented the streets of Los Angeles, streaming and recording as masked federal agents arrested people. In August, Parias, who was known by various names, including Richard, El Señor Richard, and the “Tiktokquero,” received official recognition from the city for “keeping the South LA community informed, empowered, and protected.” He became such a trusted source of news and information for locals. “.”.
In an operation that left him and a deputy U.S., Parias, however, on the opposite side of the lens and the apparent target of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials as they attempted to apprehend the 44-year-old on Tuesday. S. Marshal injured.
Federal prosecutors charged Parias with assault on a federal officer, but he stayed in the hospital Wednesday. A Mexican undocumented immigrant, according to court documents, Parias allegedly “rammed his car into agents’ vehicles after they boxed him in and ordered him to submit to arrest.”. “”.
Additionally, according to a statement from Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin, he has a history of driving without a license, failing to demonstrate financial responsibility, and resisting arrest. Additionally, the statement said that Parias entered the country illegally from Mexico at an unspecified time and location.
Video of the incident from Tuesday that The Times was able to obtain shows Parias’ car revving its engine while a dense cloud of white smoke billows close to its tires.
A voice says, “shoot him with a pepper ball,” and then there are eleven loud bangs that sound like gunshots.
A deputy U and Parias were shot in the elbow. A. According to McLaughlin, a ricochet bullet injured the marshal.
“Weaponized his vehicle and began ramming the law enforcement vehicle in an attempt to flee,” according to officials. “”.
According to those who know Parias and have watched his videos, however, the well-known TikTok user, who covers breaking news and immigration raids in the community, has a cool, collected manner that makes him appealing to locals seeking information as immigration agents swarm the city.
Should you be in South L. 1. “You’d see it in your feed all the time,” stated Jose Ugarte, deputy chief of staff for Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price. He is not at all like the people you see on social media who are rude to you. He always shows everyone respect. “”.
Since last year, Parias’s two TikTok accounts, @123crichard and @richardla18, seemed to have accumulated over 340,000 followers. His first posts featured footage of local car crashes, including the wrecked cars and the firefighters who were there to transport the victims to nearby hospitals.
In the comments, supporters frequently expressed gratitude to him.
In a crash post, one commenter wrote, “Thanks for sharing, stay safe.”. Another wrote “Dios te bendiga,” which translates to “God bless you” in Spanish. “.”.
A recent food giveaway outside Lupitas Meat Market, which is located near Adams Boulevard and South La Salle Avenue, is one of the events and people he posts about.
A woman whose mother sells pupusas from a cart said, “We usually follow him because he’s always telling us stories about the ICE raids.”. Parias shared footage of a nearby car accident on social media, but the mother and daughter invited him over after learning that he was hungry.
In the video, the daughter stated that ICE raids had reduced foot traffic to the stand, but Parias urged his audience to try it out despite this.
In the video, the daughter stated, “My mom’s pupusa stand was completely sold out by this man.”. “Everyone arrived in a matter of minutes. “”.
However, Parias’ content started to include more migrant detentions, federal operations, and protests against immigration raids as the Trump administration increased immigration raids and operations nationwide and in Los Angeles during the summer.
He posted videos of immigration operations in the region and took pictures of burning cars during protests in downtown Los Angeles. He shared footage of Narciso Barranco’s arrest in Santa Ana and another arrest in downtown Los Angeles. a. where a man seemed to start losing consciousness on the ground. He also posted a video of Border Patrol officers in MacArthur Park during the summer.
Supporters’ messages flooded his posts’ comments after word of his arrest went viral online.
Some read, “Justice for Richard.”. “Praying for you, Richard,” said others. “”.
According to Ugarte, he heard that Parias had been shot and went to the hospital, but neither he nor Parias’ son were permitted to see him.
The operation on Tuesday was not the first time immigration officials attempted to arrest Parias, according to Ron Gochez, a member of Union del Barrio, an independent political organization that promotes social justice and immigrant rights.
Federal officers stopped Parias on June 13 on 48th Street close to Figueroa Street. Parias is seen on camera wearing a black vest and a blue T-shirt with the words “PRESS” printed across the front. Several federal agents are gathered around him, and he is seen clutching his right leg, seemingly in pain.
As immigration officials attempted to arrest Parias, Gochez saw him screaming on the ground.
Federal authorities have previously attempted to arrest Parias on an administrative arrest warrant issued associated with a federal immigration proceeding, according to a criminal complaint filed against him on Tuesday. Parias had “avoided capture,” according to DHS, which did not immediately address inquiries about the nature of his immigration infraction. “.”.
Questions about whether DHS officials’ claim that Parias eluded capture was connected to the June 13 incident—in which Parias is still in handcuffs and is seen on camera being approached and escorted to a car to drive away while at least six federal agents watch and do nothing—were not answered.
Federal agents stopped and handcuffed Parias on June 13 without first searching for him, according to an LAPD report of the incident.
The report from the LAPD states that U. S. When a black pickup truck that was pursuing the marshals and ICE appeared to run a red light, they were monitoring another subject. Agents from ICE responded by stopping the truck and handcuffing a passenger who had been seated in the backseat.
Parias’ encounter with immigration officials this week and in June, according to Gochez, is not an accident.
According to Gochez, this is the second time they have attacked him. He is a well-known TikToker. “.”.
The freedom to film police is protected by the First Amendment, according to Adam Rose of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, and numerous court rulings have upheld that this right extends beyond professional journalists to “cop watchers.”.
The killings of George Floyd and Eric Garner, among other high-profile run-ins between law enforcement and the public, have highlighted the ability of a bystander with a camera to expose abuses and contentious practices that might otherwise go unnoticed or be dismissed.
Jerry “Glizzy” Martinez, 35, who is friends with Parias and streams on TikTok under the handle “LAgliZzynews,” was waiting outside the hospital on Tuesday night for an update on his friend’s health.
He remarked, “Bro, Richard is a popular person.”. He has conducted food distributions and worked with nearby growers to provide food to those in need. “.”.
He said that when people were short on cash, his friend had even purchased food for them.
He claimed to have personally distributed hot dogs to residents of Skid Row alongside him.
When covering the local news, Parias is also well-known among police officers, according to Martinez. Parias is heard addressing LAPD officers in Spanish, stating that they are aware of his identity, in another video from Tuesday’s shooting.
“Seeing what happened to him and thinking that someone like this, who has received praise from the city, would be treated this way by this administration and its agencies that they’re using to enforce their rules and regulations is crazy,” Martinez said.
According to him, Parias is a really amiable individual.
According to Martinez, “I don’t know him to be a violent person.”. He’s never been vulgar, in my opinion. I have never witnessed him act disrespectfully or incite animosity toward ICE or law enforcement. No, all he does is inform. He is a decent man. “.”.
Francisco Mora, who did not know Parias personally, was also waiting outside the Dignity Health-California Hospital Medical Center. He claimed that he was there because of his work educating the public. He claimed that another TikTok streamer was present when immigration officials arrested his wife in July. He would have been unaware of his wife’s fate if it weren’t for the TikTok streamer. According to him, she was later freed and is currently awaiting a court hearing.
He said, “They’re telling us about these raids that are taking place.”. I think their work is fantastic. “”.
