Two shot in ICE operation in South L.A.

LA, who has documented ICE raids for his 130,000 followers, was struck. Another bullet appeared to ricochet and wound a deputy marshal. McLaughlin later confirmed that a law enforcement officer at the scene was hit in the hand by a ricochet and that the target of the operation was wounded.

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OFFICERS gather at the scene of the shooting, which was less than a block from Santee Education Complex.

(ETHAN SWOPE For The Times)

The incident is likely to increase debate about the use of force by federal immigration agents when they are confronted with suspects in cars.

In San Bernardino, federal agents shot into a vehicle in August during an immigration stop; they accused the occupants of ramming their vehicle and hitting agents. Charges were filed but the case was later dismissed. In Chicago, a woman was shot at five times by a Border Patrol agent after she was accused of ramming their car. Her attorneys have argued that video footage shows that she was rammed by agents, not the other way around.

Although Homeland Security officials said the decision to shoot at a suspect’s vehicle was consistent with their training, it differs from the tactics used by some local policing agencies.

Many law enforcement agencies — including the Chicago and San Francisco police departments — discourage their officers from shooting at a fleeing or charging vehicle if the suspect is not armed with a weapon other than the vehicle. Those agencies recommend officers retreat and find a better position, as missed shots or ricochets could hurt other officers and bystanders.