New surveillance footage has been released showing a troubling incident. It depicts a masked, bellicose ICE agent violently throwing down Rafie Ollah Shouhed, a 79-year-old US citizen, at his car wash in Los Angeles. Since the event happened on September 9, there has been an outpouring of outrage over the way people are treated by police in this country.
The video that has captured international outrage shows a masked ICE agent storming into Shouhed’s car wash. Only moments before the violent confrontation, agents are shown arresting an employee as they stand outside the business. When the situation became even more severe, Shouhed came to the scene to seek how to shift what was happening. It was in the course of this encounter that he was suddenly slammed to the ground by the agent.
Those who witnessed the incident are outraged and appalled. They are especially incensed over how Shouhed, one of the city’s most visible and popular public figures, has been treated. The video footage from the surveillance camera gives you a sense of how urgent the situation was. It beautifully illustrates the relentless, invasive, and aggressive tactics employed by the agent. Shouhed’s fall appears abrupt and unprovoked, raising questions about the necessity of such force against an elderly individual.
The car wash has been a hugely popular local enterprise in Los Angeles for years. His hundreds of loyal customers become regulars, getting to know Shouhed as a friend. The ordeal has opened up a much-needed dialogue concerning the excessively violent use of force by law enforcement and the particularly dangerous impact on our most vulnerable populations. Local Shouhed supporters mobilizing on Saturday in the heart of the Movement. They call for true accountability, justice and a meaningful investigation into the actions of the agents who killed them.
Even though she was knocked all the way to the ground, Shouhed allegedly did not suffer major injuries. The emotional toll the event has taken on him and everyone who saw it has been profound. Life and death circumstances aside, the video footage shows what happened before, during, and after Michael’s death very clearly. It ignites important conversations about the way police should interact with people in low-pressure settings.