David P.T.: Father pinned to ground by agents on National Mall
David Perez-Teofani, a Fairfax County father, was tackled by officers during a traffic stop in DC while screaming for his family as his wife learned of his arrest from a viral video.
Aug 20, 2025Washington, DCCountry of origin: Mexico

David Perez-Teofani, 36, a Mexican national living in Fairfax County, Virginia, was pulled over near the Washington Monument and detained by federal agents and D.C. police while working as a driver on Wednesday afternoon. After stepping out of the vehicle, he attempted to flee and was tackled to the ground by six law enforcement officers, who pinned him for about two minutes while he screamed in Spanish that he was not a criminal, worked in the city, and wanted to be with his family. His wife told a reporter she learned of his detention from a neighbor who saw video circulating on social media, saying 'He just went to work today and now he never came back home.' ICE said Perez-Teofani had a final order of removal and had previously been charged with aggravated sexual battery against a minor, but Fairfax County's Commonwealth's Attorney said those charges were dropped because the alleged victim stopped cooperating, and he accused ICE of misrepresenting the case.
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