A chaotic federal arrest in South Los Angeles ended in gunfire and felony charges Tuesday, after a TikTok influencer known for live-streaming immigration raids allegedly rammed his car into federal vehicles during an attempted arrest.
Carlitos Ricardo Parias, 44, a Mexican national who posts under the name “Richard LA,” was charged with assaulting a federal officer and faces up to eight years in prison if convicted. According to a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Parias “rammed a Toyota Camry into the law enforcement vehicles in front of and behind him,” sending smoke and debris into the air as agents moved to detain him.
“The car fishtailed, causing agents to worry for their safety,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote, calling the vehicle “a deadly weapon” and emphasizing the government’s duty to protect officers and enforce immigration law.
Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a 44-year-old illegal alien from Mexico living in South Los Angeles, is now charged in a criminal complaint with assault on a federal officer. He is expected to make his initial appearance tomorrow at the Roybal Federal Building in downtown L.A. and would… pic.twitter.com/rF6Cxum0MY
— Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) October 22, 2025
The confrontation unfolded October 21 when agents boxed in Parias’s car during an immigration operation. Moments later, gunfire erupted — a bullet struck Parias in the elbow, while a ricochet wounded a deputy U.S. marshal. Both are expected to recover.
Parias, who has built a sizable following by warning immigrant communities of ICE raids, had reportedly eluded capture in the past. Video footage obtained by media outlets shows agents surrounding his car, breaking the driver’s side window, and opening fire seconds later.
The Department of Justice confirmed that Parias is undocumented and had previously been recognized by Los Angeles officials for community work — a fact that has fueled debate about the handling of his arrest. Prosecutors allege that his attempt to flee turned “a routine apprehension into a dangerous confrontation.”
Illegal immigrant TikToker Richard LA, who regularly follows and broadcasts the location of ICE agents, finds out that Federal law enforcement don’t like having their vehicles rammed. pic.twitter.com/jcg94qAFj9
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) October 22, 2025
Parias remains hospitalized and is expected to make his initial court appearance at the Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles once released. The U.S. Marshals Service and ICE have not disclosed new details about the deputy marshal’s condition or the investigation.
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Up to 8 years in prison ??? How about “life with no parole”. Or better yet a “firing squad” for a crime committed by a foreign national during a riot.