Full Breakdown
LAPD Faces Lawsuit After Protester Claims He Was Blinded by Projectile
3/21/2026, 1:23:23 PM
Incident Overview: Protest and Injury
On January 31, 2026, Jesus Javier Gomez Islas, a 23-year-old man, attended an immigration protest outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. During the demonstration, he alleges that he was struck in the right eye by a less-lethal projectile fired by an officer of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Gomez Islas claims that the impact resulted in permanent vision loss and has since filed a legal claim against the LAPD seeking $100 million in damages.
Details of the Incident
Gomez Islas was reportedly on his scooter, having just left work, when he encountered the protest. He described the moment of impact, stating, “I just felt something punch my eye … I couldn’t open my right eye. I was panicking … I was scared.” Following the incident, he was taken to a hospital where doctors confirmed he would not regain sight in his right eye. The claim also alleges that the LAPD did not provide medical assistance at the scene, and his sister transported him to the hospital.
Video footage from the protest shows Gomez Islas shortly after being hit, with bright green paint covering his face, indicating the projectile's impact. His legal representation asserts that the projectile likely originated from an LAPD weapon, although the specific officer responsible has not been identified.
Legal Context and LAPD's Response
The LAPD has faced scrutiny regarding its use of crowd-control tactics, particularly the deployment of less-lethal munitions. Two weeks prior to the incident, a federal judge had restricted the LAPD's use of certain crowd-control weapons, citing previous violations of court orders. Despite this, the LAPD disclosed that officers used a weapon known as the FN 303 during the protest, which is capable of firing paint rounds. The department has acknowledged the claim but has refrained from commenting on ongoing litigation.
Criticism of Police Tactics
Civil rights advocates have condemned the LAPD's use of projectiles against demonstrators. Carol Sobel, a civil rights lawyer, emphasized that munitions should not be aimed at individuals' heads, highlighting the ongoing risks posed by such weapons. Peter Bibring, another civil rights attorney, noted that firing any projectile at a demonstrator's head constitutes a use of lethal force, particularly when the video evidence shows no threatening behavior from Gomez Islas or other protesters.
Broader Implications
The incident involving Gomez Islas is part of a troubling pattern, as it marks at least the third occurrence this year where anti-ICE demonstrators have suffered significant injuries from police actions. Critics argue that the LAPD's tactics reflect a broader issue of excessive force used against peaceful protesters, particularly in the context of immigration enforcement.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — Jesus Javier Gomez Islas
- “No amount of money is going to bring my client’s vision back,” — Jamal Tooson, Gomez Islas’s lawyer
- “It’s astonishing to me that the city doesn’t have this under control.” — Carol Sobel, civil rights lawyer
The outcome of Gomez Islas's claim against the LAPD remains to be seen, but it underscores ongoing tensions surrounding law enforcement's treatment of protesters and the use of force in crowd control situations.
