Four Southern California lawmakers called on Wednesday for an independent federal investigation into an encounter between immigration agents and a Long Beach resident who was injured during his detention, MyNewsLA reported. Rep. Nanette Barragán joined Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla and Rep. Robert Garcia in sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari seeking an investigation into the October 17 incident involving Ricardo Gonzalez, a United States citizen.

Source: MyNewsLA

The lawmakers alleged that Gonzalez was struck by an unmarked federal vehicle while riding an electric bicycle near 56th Street and Elm Avenue in North Long Beach, was repeatedly subjected to a Taser, and was left with a broken arm. They also alleged that agents failed to provide appropriate medical assistance despite his apparent injuries. Those are the lawmakers' allegations in their letter, as reported by MyNewsLA, not findings of fact.

Source: MyNewsLA

Federal officials have disputed the allegation that agents struck Gonzalez with a vehicle. A DHS spokesperson told ABC News that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers “followed their training and used the minimum amount of force” during the encounter, denied that agents struck a person riding a bicycle, and said an individual was arrested after he smashed the mirror of a government vehicle, with federal authorities investigating potential charges involving damage to a government vehicle.

Source: ABC News via MyNewsLA

Long Beach police said officers responding to the scene found Gonzalez handcuffed and bleeding while being detained by federal immigration agents, took him to a nearby fire station where his handcuffs were removed, and firefighters then transported him to a hospital, according to ABC News reporting cited by MyNewsLA. The Long Beach Police Department said its officers were not involved in immigration enforcement and made no arrests. Separate national reporting on October 21 also described Gonzalez, a former municipal worker, as hospitalized after the weekend encounter and said Mayor Rex Richardson had already requested an independent probe.

Source: NewsDayPop via Z92 Online

What the letter asks for

Barragán, Schiff, Padilla and Garcia asked the inspector general to examine whether the agents' actions complied with federal law, including the justification for each use of force and whether Gonzalez received appropriate medical attention, MyNewsLA reported. They also asked investigators to determine whether other residents were stopped, detained or subjected to force during the broader operation and whether racial profiling played a role, and they called for the agents involved to be removed from field enforcement duties while the investigation proceeds.

The letter also requests preservation of body-camera footage, surveillance recordings, vehicle recordings, Taser records, operational plans, incident reports and communications, asks that any potential civil rights violations or criminal misconduct be referred to the Department of Justice, and seeks written acknowledgment from the inspector general within 48 hours and an outline of investigative steps within seven days. It was not immediately clear whether the inspector general had responded, MyNewsLA reported. “ICE agents are not above the law,” Barragán said in a statement on Wednesday.

Source: MyNewsLA

Awaaz Punjab reported the original Long Beach detention and broken-arm injury earlier this week. Read the earlier report