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Elpidio Reyna, a suspected violent rioter who was filmed throwing rocks at moving Border Patrol vehicles in Los Angeles, was apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday.
Video footage of the incident reportedly shows Reyna, wearing what appears to be a motorcycle helmet, picking up large rocks from the roadside and hurling them at passing Border Patrol vehicles. The alleged attack took place in Paramount, California, during the height of the protests against ICE in Los Angeles.
Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, shared video of the alleged violent rioter being detained at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. One federal officer sustained injuries as a result of the attack.
According to Essayli, Reyna, described as a “dangerous felon,” turned himself in to face a felony charge of assault on a federal officer at the U.S.-Mexico border. He was apprehended by a U.S. Border Patrol officer who was inside one of the vehicles damaged in the attack and was at risk of serious harm.
Essayli stated that Reyna will appear in federal court for his initial hearing on Wednesday afternoon.
“To anyone who thinks they can harm federal officers and hide behind a mask or helmet, Reyna’s arrest today demonstrates that we can locate and prosecute anyone who breaks federal laws,” he said, emphasizing, “Do not assault our officers.”
Responding to the arrest, FBI Director Kash Patel affirmed that the FBI will not tolerate violence against those who serve and protect the country.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also commented on the arrest, stating, “You may remember Elpidio Reyna, a suspect who allegedly threw rocks at federal officers during immigration operations in California on June 7. We have apprehended him.”
“Those who attack America’s police officers may try to flee, but they cannot escape justice,” added Bongino.
Violent riots erupted in Los Angeles for several days in response to ICE activities in the area. The Trump administration deployed 700 Marines and approximately 4,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles to suppress the riots, a move criticized by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor Karen Bass, and other Democrats.
Newsom filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for deploying California National Guard troops despite his objections, arguing that the deployment may have violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits military involvement in civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil.
The governor initially succeeded in challenging the deployment in court, but an appeals court later overturned the ruling, maintaining federal control over the troops. The federal court is scheduled to hear arguments next month regarding the alleged violation of the Posse Comitatus Act by the troops.
Contributions to this report were made by Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Emma Colton.
