ICE Agents Accused Of Breaking Long Beach Man's Arm During Detention: Reports

LONG BEACH, CA — Federal immigration agents are accused of seriously injuring a 40-year-old U.S. citizen during a confrontation in North Long Beach on Saturday, prompting local police to intervene and arrange emergency medical treatment for the handcuffed man.

Ricardo Gonzalez was riding an electric bicycle near Elm Avenue and 56th Street on Oct. 17 when he encountered federal agents, according to reporting by the Long Beach Post.

Gonzalez's daughter, Leslie, told Long Beach Watchdog that an unmarked federal vehicle struck her father and that agents subsequently used a Taser on him twice. Witnesses provided differing descriptions of the initial confrontation, and the circumstances leading to his detention remain unclear.

Video circulating online shows Gonzalez lying face down in the street as agents restrain and handcuff him. He can be heard shouting that his arm is broken. Although his family and elected officials have described the injury as a broken arm, independent medical documentation confirming a fracture has not been made public in the reporting reviewed.

Long Beach Police Intervene

The Long Beach Police Department said in a statement that federal immigration personnel requested emergency assistance because of reported vehicle vandalism and a person requiring medical attention.

Officers arrived to find a large disturbance involving federal agents and members of the public. One officer located an injured, bleeding man who was handcuffed and being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Because obstructions in the street prevented firefighters from reaching the scene, police transported Gonzalez to a nearby fire station, where officers removed his handcuffs and firefighters subsequently transported him to a hospital.

LBPD emphasized that its officers did not participate in immigration enforcement or make any arrests. The department said it does not assist federal immigration operations but cannot legally obstruct or interfere with them.

The encounter continued after officers left the scene. According to LBPD, several federal agents followed police into a secure parking lot at a police station, where they were directed to leave. Agents were subsequently advised how to file a vandalism report if they wished.

Family, Elected Officials Condemn Encounter

Gonzalez, who was born in Hanford, California, is a U.S. citizen and former Long Beach city employee, according to his daughter.

Leslie Gonzalez told Long Beach Watchdog that her father worked for the city for approximately eight years, initially in the Health Department and later in the Utilities Department, before leaving his position in September.

She said he remained in considerable pain following the encounter. The family has established a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses and potential legal costs. Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson told CNN on Sunday that Gonzalez had called 911 seeking assistance before police arrived.

Richardson, who said he had spoken with Gonzalez and his family, declined to discuss the man's medical condition but criticized the circumstances surrounding the detention. He also said he had attempted to contact ICE through its complaint hotline without receiving a response.

Rep. Robert Garcia, whose congressional district includes Long Beach, condemned the incident, alleging that federal agents had broken Gonzalez's arm and describing video of the confrontation as deeply disturbing.

City Councilmember Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, who represents the neighborhood, also criticized the agents' conduct, accusing them of racial profiling and assaulting a resident.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, had not publicly explained why Gonzalez was detained or responded to the allegations as of the latest reports published by CNN and The Guardian.

The incident has raised questions about the use of force by federal immigration agents and the role of local police when federal enforcement operations result in injuries to residents.