79-year-old US citizen claims ICE agents body-slammed him at his business, seeks $50M
An elderly Los Angeles business owner has filed a $50 million federal administrative claim alleging he was body-slammed and detained by federal immigration agents during a raid at his Van Nuys car wash earlier this month.
Rafie Ollah Shouhed, 79, suffered multiple broken ribs, elbow injuries and a traumatic brain injury during the Sept. 9 incident, according to the federal tort claim filed by his attorneys.
The claim alleges that masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents showed up at Shouhed's car wash. Surveillance video shows an agent appearing to detain another man in the parking lot. When the elderly businessman approached, another agent begins struggling with him before another agent takes him to the ground.
According to his claim, when Shouhed attempted to show agents proof of his employees' work authorization, agents "cursed at him" and "violently body-slammed him onto the pavement." Three agents then allegedly pinned him down, with one placing a knee on his neck, the claim stated.
According to his claim, Shouhed told agents, "If there is anything I can do for you, let me help you. I have papers for these guys."
"You don't f--- with ICE. We are here," agents responded, according to the claim.
Speaking at a press conference to media Thursday with his legal team, Shouhed described his experience.
"Three big people were sitting on my back, the way they tore me down... I was begging them," Shouhed said. "I have a heart condition."
The claim alleges that authorities identified Shouhed as a U.S. citizen shortly after his arrival at the Metropolitan Detention Center but continued to hold him for nearly 12 hours without medical attention.
The tort claim, filed against the Department of Homeland Security and its sub-agencies, alleges assault, battery, civil rights violations and deliberate indifference to serious medical conditions. It also claims these agencies maintain policies that "tolerate and condone the use of excessive force."
"This was an outrageous and unlawful assault on a 79-year-old American citizen in his own place of business," V. James DeSimone, Shouhed's attorney said in a press release. "If this can happen in broad daylight to an American senior citizen who committed no crime, it can happen to anyone."
According to the claim, Shouhed temporarily closed his business after employees, including U.S. citizens, became too afraid to return to work.
Federal officials have not yet responded to the claim, DeSimone told ABC News.
ABC News reached out to DHS about Shouhed's tort claim, but has yet to hear back.
