A pre-dawn confrontation outside the federal lockup in downtown Los Angeles briefly turned volatile when, according to federal agents, a protester allegedly turned and brandished a firearm as they tried to detain the person on Alameda Street. Police and federal officers responded with less-lethal munitions, and the individual ran off, the department said.
⚠️Community Advisory⚠️Alameda between Aliso and Temple. Early this morning, Federal Agents were attempting to detain a protestor who was throwing items at them. As they attempted to detain the alleged suspect, the suspect turned towards the agents and brandished a firearm.
— LAPD Central Division (@LAPDCentral) February 7, 2026
What LAPD posted
According to LAPD Central Division, federal agents were attempting to detain a protester who had been throwing items at them when, as the advisory put it, “the suspect turned towards the agents and brandished a firearm.” The post states that federal personnel then deployed pepper balls, and the person fled the scene and was still outstanding at the time of the advisory.
Where this happened and recent unrest
The Metropolitan Detention Center and the stretch of Alameda between Aliso and Temple have repeatedly been a focal point for anti-ICE demonstrations in recent weeks. As reported by LAist and NBC Los Angeles, earlier rallies in the area brought dispersal orders, tactical alerts and the use of pepper balls and tear gas around the federal complex.
Legal implications
If investigators confirm that someone brandished a firearm at federal personnel, prosecutors could pursue federal charges including assault on a federal officer and firearms offenses. Those statutes, for example 18 U.S.C. § 111 and 18 U.S.C. § 922, carry significant penalties if the Justice Department files charges, though prosecutors would still need to establish what happened and the suspect’s intent…