A University of Southern California freshman lost an eye after allegedly being struck by a projectile fired by a federal agent during a protest in downtown Los Angeles last month, according to his attorney.
The student, 18-year-old Tucker Collins, was photographing a “No Kings” march on March 28 near the Metropolitan Detention Center when he was hit in the face, his lawyer, V. James DeSimone, said.
Collins, who is studying astronautical engineering with a minor in cinematic arts, was documenting the demonstration as it moved along a sidewalk outside the federal facility.
Video reviewed by Collins’ representatives shows him standing at the edge of the crowd and stepping aside for pedestrians while continuing to record the protest, DeSimone said.
Attorney Plans Legal Action Over Student’s Injury
Attorneys said a Department of Homeland Security agent fired a projectile that struck the student in the face, “destroying his eyeball and fracturing the bones in his eye socket.” DeSimone said he believes the object may have been a pepper ball, though that has not been independently verified.
“Tucker suffered a life-altering injury documenting a protest, not participating in violence. That should alarm anyone who cares about civil rights, press freedom, and accountability,” DeSimone said in a statement shared with Newsweek.
“He was not threatening anyone. He wasn’t attacking anyone. DHS officers took out his eye and they did it despite a federal injunction that plainly forbids firing these weapons at people’s heads.
“They didn’t shoot him for their own protection—Tucker was shot in another overt act of repression.”
The incident has prompted plans for a federal tort claim against DHS, DeSimone said. A news conference is scheduled for April 15 in Marina Del Rey, where Collins and his attorney are expected to speak publicly about the case.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not directly address the allegations but made a statement about the protest.
A spokesperson said federal officers were responding to a large and unruly crowd and took steps to protect personnel and property.
“The First Amendment protects speech and peaceful assembly—not rioting,” they told Newsweek.
“DHS is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters. Our law enforcement has followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property.”
“Seven warnings were issued before the deployment of crowd control measures were deployed,” the agency said.
The agency said that on March 28, approximately 1,000 people surrounded the Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles, and that “rioters threw rocks, bottles, and cement blocks at officers.”
Protests Grow Amid Immigration Enforcement Tensions
DHS said that during the protest, one individual who allegedly threw a large piece of broken concrete at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a federal officer, a felony, and is also considered a person of interest in connection with an incident in which a Federal Protective Service officer suffered a broken wrist.
The agency added that a second person was arrested on multiple charges, including allegedly throwing objects at federal property, disorderly conduct, and wearing a mask to conceal identity, while a third individual was accused of assaulting a Los Angeles Police Department officer with a deadly weapon and is wanted for allegedly damaging federal property.
The “No Kings” protests in Los Angeles emerged as part of a wave of demonstrations opposing federal immigration enforcement policies under President Trump’s administration, including actions carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, CBP and DHS. Many participants in the protests have voiced opposition to mass deportation efforts and expanded immigration raids, which increased after large-scale enforcement operations last summer in which federal agents arrested thousands of migrants across the Los Angeles area. DHS said in a December press release that 10,000 migrants were arrested in the operation.
Those operations fueled ongoing public backlash, with demonstrations taking place across the city and surrounding region, often centered near federal buildings and detention facilities.
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