Gunshot at Anti-ICE Protest Leaves Young Man With Permanent Injuries
Posted on01/21/26 at 11:48
- Young man loses an eye in Anti-ICE protest
- Anti-ICE protest in California
- Use of force questioned
According to BBC, Kaden Rummler, 21, says that protesting almost cost him his life.
The young man was participating in a demonstration against the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The protest was taking place outside a federal building in Santa Ana, California.
It had been called to protest the death of Renee Good.
Good, 37, a mother of three, died after being shot by a federal agent.
The incident occurred during an immigration raid in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 7.
Federal authorities described the incident as an act of self-defense.
The moment of the shooting during the anti-ICE protest
🔥 BRUTAL REPRESSION OF ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS IN THE U.S. 🔥
A 21-year-old anti-ICE protester who was holding only a megaphone was permanently blinded in one eye after a federal agent fired a “less-lethal” round at close range in Santa Ana. Kaden Rummler… pic.twitter.com/YvLYDinZUI— GEOPOLÍTICA 🌐 (@Geopolitik_2030) January 15, 2026
The Friday afternoon–evening protest turned chaotic at one point.
Videos shared on social media show several agents advancing toward the crowd.
The agents were carrying crowd-control weapons.
In the images, one of them is seen grabbing a protester.
Kaden Rummler appears holding a megaphone.
He takes a step forward.
From close range, he is shot in the face.
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The ammunition used appears to be classified as “less lethal.”
After the impact, the agent grabs him by the hood of his sweatshirt.
He drags him toward a nearby building.
His face appears covered in blood.
“I felt the heat slowly taking over my face,” he told CBS News.
Rummler said the impact caused the permanent loss of one eye.
“My left eye doesn’t even perceive light and never will,” he said.
Kaden Rummler’s medical diagnosis and official versions
🇺🇸 | ICE protester who lost his vision while trying to stop an arrest in Minneapolis:
“I will be blind for life. I have skull fractures they cannot fix… They told me it was a miracle I survived.” pic.twitter.com/UcbmhvjWvT
— AlertaNewsPlus (@AlertaNewsPlus) January 15, 2026
A medical report accessed by BBC Mundo details the severity of the injuries.
Kaden Rummler was treated for a concussion.
He had damage to the bone structure surrounding the eye.
Upon hospital admission, he had fragments embedded in the eyeball and eye socket.
The young man remained hospitalized for three days.
He was later discharged.
He says he still has a metal fragment lodged in his body.
That fragment is just millimeters from the carotid artery.
It is a major blood vessel.
“Doctors told me I’m alive by a miracle,” he said.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offered a different version.
According to DHS, it was a “highly coordinated campaign of violence.”
The department said two agents were injured.
It stated that about 60 people threw objects at officers.
These included rocks, bottles, and fireworks.
Two people were arrested and charged.
The charges include assault on a federal officer and disorderly conduct.
One of the detainees was taken to the hospital due to a cut.
He was released that same night.
DHS warned that the disturbances constitute a crime.
It reiterated that anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted.
Legal debate and rising tensions
BBC Mundo asked DHS about the type of weapon used.
It also asked about the applicable protocols.
No response was received.
That information is key to Rummler’s defense.
This was stated by his attorney, John Washington.
The lawyer said Kaden Rummler has metal fragments in his head.
He explained that one could not be removed due to its proximity to the carotid artery.
He said they need to determine whether the fragment is neurotoxic.
Washington described the incident as a “completely unacceptable use of force.”
He said the case is under investigation.
He did not rule out legal action, including a lawsuit.
A former New York detective, Felipe Rodríguez, gave his interpretation to CBS.
He said the agent had little time to react.
He stated that officers do not seek to injure, but also do not want to be injured.
Another perspective was offered by Edward Obayashi to the Los Angeles Times.
The undersheriff said officers should never aim at the face.
He noted that such projectiles can cause serious injury or death.
He said he does not see justified use of lethal force in this case.
The incident occurs amid rising tensions.
These are linked to immigration raids and protests against ICE.
President Donald Trump has not announced changes to the strategy.
On his social network Truth Social, he posted a message directed at Minnesota.
He said that a “day of reckoning” is approaching.