Family Calls for Accountability After Off-Duty ICE Agent Involved in Northridge Father’s Tragic Shooting
Community Demands Investigation Into Shooting of Keith Porter
LOS ANGELES – Community members are calling for accountability following the deadly shooting of 43-year-old Keith Porter Jr. by an off-duty ICE officer on New Year’s Eve in Northridge. Family and advocates are pressing for immediate arrests and a thorough investigation into the incident.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Porter was allegedly fired upon after he pointed a rifle at the off-duty officer during a confrontation at an apartment complex just after 10:30 p.m. on December 31. Family members dispute this account, asserting that Porter was likely firing celebratory shots into the air, a common New Year’s Eve tradition.
“He was a great Black man. He was a girl dad,” said Porter’s cousin, Jsane Tyler, emphasizing his character and family values.
Porter’s mother, Franceola Armstrong, reflected on her son’s nature, describing him as a person with a "wonderful soul and big heart." In her remarks during a recent city council meeting, she lamented, “He didn’t deserve this. He was on his way back. He didn’t even get to pop the champagne. He didn’t get to say goodbye.”
While the LAPD and DHS are conducting independent investigations, the family is contemplating a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that Porter’s shooting was unjustified. No arrests have been made, and the identity of the agent involved remains undisclosed.
Joseph Williams from Black Lives Matter Los Angeles condemned the lack of criminal action against the agent. He noted, “We know in this city, law enforcement shootings by LAPD have increased by what, 70% last year, and there has been very little, if any, accountability in any of those cases.”
Porter’s family seeks a criminal investigation of the incident and has made their case to the Los Angeles Police Commission. The community’s response and demands signal a growing concern about accountability in law enforcement actions, particularly regarding use of deadly force.
