ICE agent Brian Palacios shot and killed 43-year-old Keith Porter Jr. on December 31, 2025 in Northridge while off duty. Federal authorities say the agent responded to what they described as an “active shooter situation.” Porter’s friends and family dispute that account and say he was firing shots into the air to celebrate the New Year and nothing more.
Palacios has a controversial past alleged in court filings.
According to a custody fight court filing made public this week, Palacios is accused of domestic violence, allegedly whipping his sons with a belt, making racist remarks about Black and Latino people, using homophobic slurs, showing up at a youth soccer game with an unsecured gun, alarming other parents.
These allegations come from testimony and transcripts in a family court custody dispute, not from criminal charges, and were presented by an attorney next door.
Palacios’ attorney has denied the abuse, racist remarks, and slurs.
This same filing noted that a judge barred Palacios from being around his girlfriend’s children from a prior marriage because of “abusive conduct,” according to court transcripts.
The facts are disputed. Porter’s family and supporters describe him as a father and community member, say the shooting was unprovoked, and urge prosecutors to file charges.
Federal officials, including the Department of Homeland Security, have defended Palacios’ actions, saying he acted in self-defense.
No public career history, training records, or disciplinary history for Palacios have been released. As of now, there is no official public record available showing his law enforcement evaluations, past complaints, internal investigations, or disciplinary actions within ICE or DHS agencies or entire career.
SOURCE LINKS:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-16/ice-agent-los-angeles-shooting-court-records
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/16/keith-porter-jr-ice-killing
