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Elpidio Reyna, an alleged violent rioter who was captured on video throwing rocks at the windshields of moving Border Patrol vehicles in Los Angeles, was arrested on Wednesday at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Video of the attack allegedly shows Reyna, who is wearing what appears to be a motorcycle helmet, picking up several large rocks on the side of the road and lobbing them at Border Patrol vehicles as they pass by. The alleged attack occurred in Paramount, California, on June 7, during the height of the Los Angeles anti-ICE riots.
Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, released video of the alleged violent rioter being picked up at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. One federal officer was injured as a result of the attack.
According to Essayli, Reyna, whom he called a “dangerous felon,” surrendered to federal authorities at the U.S.-Mexico border to face a felony charge of assault on a federal officer. He was apprehended by a U.S. Border Patrol officer who was inside of the vehicles damaged by the attack and “could have been killed in last month’s dangerous and reckless attack.”
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Essayli said that Reyna will make his initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday afternoon.
“To anyone who thinks they can attack federal officers and hide behind a mask or helmet, Reyna’s arrest today proves we can find and charge anyone who violates federal law,” he said, adding, “Don’t touch our officers.”
Commenting on the arrest, FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI “will never tolerate violence against those who serve and protect this country.”
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also chimed in, posting on X, “You may remember Elpidio Reyna, a subject who allegedly threw rocks at federal officers during immigration operations in California June 7. We got him.”
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“Those who attack America’s police officers can run but they can’t hide,” said Bongino.
Violent and fiery riots erupted across Los Angeles for several days in response to ICE activity in the area. The Trump administration deployed 700 Marines and federalized roughly 4,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles to quell the riots. The move was harshly criticized as unnecessary and illegal by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor Karen Bass and other Democrats.
Newsom sued the Trump administration for deploying California National Guard troops despite his opposition. He argued that the National Guard troops were likely violating the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits troops from conducting civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil.
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The governor won an early victory in the case after a federal judge ruled the Guard deployment was illegal and exceeded Trump’s authority. An appeals court tossed that order, and control of the troops remained with the federal government. The federal court is set to hear arguments next month on whether the troops are violating the Posse Comitatus Act.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
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