An 18-year-old University of Southern California freshman lost his right eye permanently after a projectile fired by a federal agent struck him during a protest in downtown Los Angeles, and he now plans to sue the Department of Homeland Security for civil rights violations.

Teenager Blinded During Downtown Los Angeles Protest

Tucker Collins was recording the March 28 protest near the Metropolitan Detention Center when a projectile hit him directly in the eye. The impact destroyed his eyeball and fractured the bones in his eye socket. Collins now requires a permanent eyepatch. “One moment I was recording, and the next thing I know, I can’t see. I’m on the floor, screaming in agony,” Collins said during a press conference with his parents and attorneys.

The freshman said he stood behind a fence with friends when the projectile struck. “There was a fence between us. There wasn’t even anyone throwing anything. If I was agitating by taking photos, then I’m surprised that counts as agitation,” Collins explained. He told reporters he never heard any warning to disperse before officers deployed crowd control measures against the crowd of approximately 1,000 people gathered at the Roybal Federal Building.

Federal Response Claims Self-Defense Action

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated protesters threw rocks, bottles, and cement blocks at federal officers. The agency claimed officers issued seven warnings before deploying crowd control measures. “Our law enforcement has followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public and federal property,” the spokesperson said. DHS reported one person threw broken concrete at a Customs and Border Protection member, triggering the escalation.

Three arrests occurred during the incident. One person faces charges for assaulting a federal officer, another for breaking a Federal Protective Service officer’s wrist, and a third remains wanted for assaulting a Los Angeles Police Department officer with a deadly weapon and destroying federal property.

Civil Rights Lawsuit and Criminal Investigation Demanded

Civil rights attorney V. James DeSimone called on Los Angeles officials, including the mayor and police chief, to launch a criminal investigation into the shot that permanently blinded Collins. The attorneys representing the USC freshman confirmed plans to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security over the grievous injury sustained during what protesters called a demonstration against administration policies.