Fullerton police say ICE agent pulled gun on woman recording him in Santa Ana

Topline:

The details: The Fullerton Police Department said in a Facebook post Sunday that one of its officers witnessed a man getting out of his car at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Shelton Street and pointing a gun in the direction of a woman in another car. When the Fullerton officer stopped to investigate, the man presented credentials showing he was an ICE agent and said he had stopped the woman because she was following and recording him, according to the post.

Tense moments: The incident was caught on video and shared by media outlets, including LA Taco. The man who identified himself as an ICE agent appears to be in plainclothes and holding a gun. A tense verbal exchange follows. A woman’s voice can be heard in the video asking what the man is doing, noting that he pointed the gun at her and questioning why local police are “helping” him. When the man says, “You can’t be following us,” she yells, “I live here!”

Not a crime: The Fullerton officer told the agent he could not assist with someone following or recording him if no crime had occurred, the department said in its post. The woman left the area shortly afterward. The officer then left the scene, the department said.

The Fullerton post said its officers would assist ICE “in situations involving immediate officer safety,” however, state law prohibits local law enforcement from participating in immigration enforcement.

ICE response: LAist sent an email to ICE seeking comment and is awaiting response. In a statement to CBS LA, ICE said the woman was trying to "cause a collision." "To defend himself, following the aggression of the driver and her refusal to follow law enforcement commands, our officer followed his training and drew his weapon," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the statement.