Outcry after ICE violently detains US citizen walking to high school: ‘I thought they were going to kill me’

ICE agents detained Erik Zepeda, a 20-year-old US citizen with disabilities, as he walked to high school in Santa Maria, California, on 21 October. He says he was tackled and handcuffed, and later found to have a broken wrist that required surgery; the incident has prompted allegations of racial profiling and calls for accountability.

A witness and videos reviewed by the Guardian indicate masked agents pinned Zepeda face-down, drove him around and then released him. He walked to school with a black eye and wrist pain, and staff called an ambulance. Local police say an investigation is ongoing, while California lawmakers have urged a transparent inquiry; the detention comes amid increased ICE activity in the state and other reported hospitalisations.