A disturbing incident involving the alleged kidnapping of a Chinese man in Los Angeles, California (LA) has sparked concern among many in the United States. While it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that this is another instance involving ICE detention , one unsettling detail is that the individuals involved were wearing masks without uniforms or badges, causing many to question the legality of the operation.
The apparent abduction occurred in front of the Los Angeles Parking Violations Bureau, near the Redwood Bar & Grill on W 2nd St. According to reports, an East Asian man, estimated to be in his 30s, was handcuffed and restrained by a couple of masked women while he shouted for assistance. Shortly after, two masked men joined them and forcibly dragged the man into a sedan. A video of the event has been shared on Reddit by user Jevus_himself:
> Man abducted in LA – possibly ICE but no uniform or badges visible
> https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/1ldxgj1/man_abducted_in_la_possibly_ice_but_no_uniform_or/
> by u/Jevus_himself
> in PublicFreakout
Based on comments, the East Asian man was reportedly shouting phrases in Chinese, possibly Mandarin, including “Jiu Ming! ICE! Save my life,” with the last phrase also possibly translating to “help.” Sadly, bystanders were unable to assist due to the language barrier, although the man clearly articulated the letters I-C-E. The lack of visible badges or uniforms also made bystanders hesitant to intervene. With the limited information available, there is concern this could have been a crime committed by a syndicate or even a bounty hunter operation. As of now, there is no confirmation that ICE was involved in the incident. It is also unclear why a Chinese man who seemingly didn’t know the local language was in the Los Angeles area.
PEOPLE HAVE CHIMED IN ON THE MATTER
Given the lack of uniforms, badges, and presentation of a warrant or identification, many believe the incident was a clear case of kidnapping. Some speculate that the masked individuals may have been bounty hunters, potentially working for government agencies or private parties.
ICE’s alleged use of private bounty hunters has been reported before. In January, a whistleblower claimed ICE was employing bounty hunters with rewards ranging from $1,000 to $1,500 per detained individual, possibly to meet deportation quotas. There is no definitive proof that this claim is true, nor that the LA incident involving the Chinese man is connected, however, it seems many people online have drawn such conclusions.
> “I am convinced many of these abductions are being done by private bounty
> hunters. They hide their faces because they want to be able to keep bounty
> hunting once this is over,” claims Al_Tilly_the_Bum
> “I see no badges, no reason to assume this was legal,” according to
> Smokybare94
> “Very soon when they start taking kids, nobody is gonna be able to tell
> whether it’s ice or just a pedo kidnapping ring. Just f***ing great thanks to
> the orange faced dbag,” fears nish1021