A 21-year-old college student, Kaden Rummler, was left partially blind after being struck in the eye by a projectile during a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Southern California. The protest, held on January 9, was sparked by the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.
Rummler reported severe pain following the incident and underwent a six-hour surgery, which left him with no depth perception and unable to drive. Pieces of the projectile, described as made from metal and plastic containing pepper spray, remain lodged in his skull. Rummler, now facing significant changes in his daily life, stated, It’s going to affect every aspect of my life, as he aspires to work in forestry.
Another protester, Britain Rodriguez, 31, also experienced serious injuries from a similar projectile. According to Rodriguez, he felt as though his eye had exploded upon impact. The series of injuries at the protest has raised alarms over the methods employed by federal officers for crowd control.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) characterized the demonstrations as violent, acknowledging injuries to two officers but not specifying their nature. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin deemed Rummler’s claims absurd and did not clarify what type of projectile was utilized. In contrast, both Rummler and Rodriguez have expressed intentions to take legal actions against the federal enforcement practices.
The backlash continues as advocacy for accountability intensifies, with Rummler asserting his commitment to fighting against perceived injustices in immigration enforcement despite his injuries. He emphasized that he would continue to protest, saying, I refuse to sit around idly and watch that happen. With professionals like Geoffrey Alpert calling for a thorough investigation into the use of such force, the incident sheds light on the critical discourse surrounding police practices and accountability during protests.
