ICE Shooting in Northridge Sparks Outrage as Community Mourns Keith “Pooter” Porter and Demands Accountability

The fatal New Year’s Eve shooting of Keith “Pooter” Porter in Northridge has intensified fears about the danger federal immigration agents pose to Black and Brown communities, particularly when deadly force is used with limited transparency. Porter was shot and killed by an off-duty ICE agent inside the Village Pointe apartment complex just before midnight. While federal officials claim the agent responded to an “active shooter situation,” neighbors and community members say the circumstances remain unclear and deeply troubling.

Black Lives Matter Los Angeles identified Porter and has stood with his family as they demand answers. In announcing a community vigil, an organizer said, “This vigil is about remembering Keith as a human being, not a headline or a hashtag and standing with his family as they demand truth and accountability. An off-duty federal agent took his life, and the community deserves clear answers, full transparency and justice.” That call reflects a broader concern that federal immigration agencies operate with sweeping power while shielding their agents from immediate questioning.

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security said the agent opened fire “in order to protect his life and that of others,” adding that he “was forced to defensively use his weapon and exchanged gunfire with the shooter.” Yet no one else was injured, and neighbors reported that Porter may have been firing a gun into the air to ring in the new year;  a dangerous act, but one that raises serious questions about whether lethal force was necessary. LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton acknowledged it was “too early to tell” what exactly occurred and confirmed detectives would not interview the agent for days due to federal protocols.

As investigators from multiple federal bodies review the case, the delay itself has fueled community mistrust. Friends and coworkers described Porter as loving and generous. “This is the type of friend a lot of us wish we had,” Bryon Taylor wrote, while another friend shared, “Pooter was an amazing friend to me… This really really breaks my heart.” A coworker added, “He’s already a legend around here from just being him.”

Link: LA Times