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79-year-old US citizen tackled by ICE agents during raid, suffers broken ribs and brain injury

May 21, 2026 · Los Angeles, CA

79-year-old US citizen tackled by ICE agents during raid, suffers broken ribs and brain injury

Rafie Ollah Shouhed, a 79-year-old U.S. citizen and owner of Valley Car Wash in Van Nuys, California, was physically assaulted by immigration agents during a September 9, 2025 raid on his business. When Shouhed questioned the operation and attempted to vouch for employees being arrested, masked agents forced him to the ground. Surveillance footage shows an agent striking him while three agents tackled him as he pleaded for an ambulance, stating he had recently undergone heart surgery and couldn't breathe. One agent pressed a knee on his neck while applying additional physical force. The incident resulted in broken ribs, an injured elbow, and post-concussive symptoms of a traumatic brain injury. Shouhed was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center and held for 12 hours without medical attention before being released without charges. He filed a $50 million civil rights lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Timeline

May 21, 2026Shouhed files $50 million civil rights lawsuit against Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Sep 26, 2025Shouhed files $50 million federal tort claim against Department of Homeland Security alleging assault, battery, civil rights violations, and deliberate indifference to serious medical conditions
Sep 9, 2025ICE and Border Patrol agents raid Valley Car Wash in Van Nuys; Shouhed questioned agents about the operation, was tackled and struck by multiple agents, suffering broken ribs, elbow injury, and traumatic brain injury; detained at Metropolitan Detention Center for 12 hours without medical attention before release without charges

Sources

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