Los Angeles Man Blinded by Police Projectile at Immigration Protest Files $100M Claim
Jesus Javier Gomez Islas, a 23-year-old Los Angeles resident, has filed a multi-million dollar legal claim against the Los Angeles Police Department after suffering a catastrophic eye injury during an immigration protest earlier this year. The young man says he has permanently lost vision in his right eye after being struck by a projectile fired by law enforcement officers.
Permanent Vision Loss from Protest Incident
Gomez Islas attended a demonstration outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on January 31st, where "ICE Out" rallies were taking place in opposition to Donald Trump's immigration policies. According to his legal filing, he arrived at approximately 9:40 PM after finishing his shift at a department store and was merely observing the protest when he was struck in the face by what appears to have been a police projectile.
"I'm absolutely devastated, frustrated and betrayed by what we call law enforcement that are not really enforcing the law, but only bringing violence against our people," Gomez Islas stated during a briefing at his attorney's Los Angeles office. "What they've done is horrible, monstrous, and for what?"
Medical Consequences and Legal Action
Medical professionals have informed Gomez Islas that he will never regain sight in his injured right eye, and his legal team warns that complications from the trauma could potentially threaten the vision in his left eye as well. The claim, which serves as a precursor to a formal lawsuit, alleges excessive force, assault, battery, negligence, and infliction of emotional distress against the City of Los Angeles.
"No amount of money is going to bring my client's vision back," said Jamal Tooson, Gomez Islas's attorney. "His life has changed forever ... we are going to do our very best to hold [LAPD] accountable, to bring about change."
Video Evidence and Police Disclosure
Video footage shared by Gomez Islas's legal team shows a chaotic scene at the protest, with what appears to be an explosion of green paint near his head moments before he was injured. The young man was standing by his scooter in his work uniform when he was struck. "I was in my work uniform at the time, dress shirt, dress pants, not posing a threat at all," he recounted. "Then suddenly I just felt something punch my eye ... I couldn't open my right eye."
In a significant disclosure, the LAPD has acknowledged that officers responding to the protest that night used a weapon known as the "FN 303" launcher, which has the capability to fire paint-marking rounds. The department's statement also claimed that demonstrators had thrown rocks and fireworks at officers during the confrontation.
Pattern of Protest Injuries and Legal Restrictions
The incident occurred just two weeks after a federal judge issued a ruling restricting LAPD officers' use of so-called "less-lethal" launchers at protests. The judge found that the police agency had violated previous court orders limiting the use of certain weapons against demonstrators.
This case follows a pattern of serious injuries at immigration protests in Southern California. Earlier in January, two demonstrators at a different immigration protest in Santa Ana reported being blinded by projectiles fired by federal agents.
Civil rights attorney Carol Sobel, who has extensive experience challenging the LAPD's use of projectiles, emphasized the dangers of these weapons. "Munitions are fired at high velocities and should never be aimed at people's heads," Sobel stated, adding that it was "outrageous" that protesters continue to suffer severe injuries from such weapons.
Life-Altering Consequences
The injury has dramatically altered Gomez Islas's daily life. He has not returned to work since the incident and, as an avid cyclist, now fears riding a bicycle due to his severely compromised vision. "I'm actually a bit more scared to go out in public now," he admitted, "because I'm afraid of bumping into people and causing problems and disturbances."
The LAPD has declined to comment on the pending litigation, while the Los Angeles City Attorney's office and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to inquiries about the case. Gomez Islas's $100 million claim also alleges he suffered a traumatic brain injury in addition to the permanent vision loss.
