OSINT Report: Keith "Pooter" Porter Jr. - Killed by Off-Duty ICE Agent on New Year's Eve¶

Date of Research: February 5, 2026 (enriched February 12, 2026)
Published by: Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Subject: Keith Porter Jr. - Fatally Shot by Off-Duty ICE Agent Brian Palacios
Type: officer-involved-shooting
Confidence: HIGH

Executive Summary¶

On December 31, 2025, at approximately 10:40 p.m., Keith "Pooter" Porter Jr. -- a 43-year-old Black man, U.S. citizen, father of two daughters (ages 9 and 20), Home Depot employee, and beloved member of his community -- was shot and killed by his neighbor, off-duty ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations agent Brian Palacios, at the Village Pointe Apartments in Northridge, Los Angeles. Porter had been firing celebratory gunshots into the air to ring in the new year, as was common in the neighborhood. An autopsy revealed Porter was struck by three bullets.

The Department of Homeland Security immediately characterized Palacios as having "bravely responded to an active shooter situation" and claimed Porter pointed his weapon at the agent after Palacios identified himself as law enforcement. However, this account is deeply disputed. Neighbors and witnesses say they did not hear the agent identify himself. Attorney Jamal Tooson, representing the Porter family, stated that canvassing turned up no witnesses who saw Porter fire toward the agent, and that multiple witnesses described Porter as walking back toward his apartment when he was shot. Reports further indicate that Palacios did not simply react -- he went back inside, donned tactical gear and body armor, retrieved his ICE-issued firearm, and returned outside to confront Porter. There is no body camera footage (Palacios was off duty), and the apartment complex's security cameras did not capture the shooting.

Court documents from an unrelated custody dispute revealed Palacios's identity and exposed allegations of child abuse (whipping his sons with a belt), racist remarks against Black and Latino people, homophobic slurs, and carrying a gun at a youth soccer game -- all documented in sworn declarations and court transcripts. The Porter family's legal team, led by nationally prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump and co-counsel Jamal Tooson, has called this a potential racially motivated hate crime and demanded California Attorney General Rob Bonta conduct an independent investigation. As of February 2026, no criminal charges have been filed against Palacios, and multiple parallel investigations by LAPD, the LA County DA, FBI, DOJ, and DHS remain ongoing. A petition demanding Palacios's arrest has gathered over 18,600 signatures.

1. VICTIM PROFILE¶

Keith "Pooter" Porter Jr.¶

Personal Information:
- Full Name: Keith Porter Jr.
- Nickname: "Pooter" (given to him as a small child by his mother; the name stuck for life)
- Age: 43 years old
- Race: Black
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen
- Hometown: Compton, California (grew up there)
- Residence: Village Pointe Apartments, Northridge, Los Angeles (moved approximately one year prior "for love," to be near his girlfriend)
- Occupation: Employee at Northridge Home Depot
- Family: Father of two daughters (ages 9 and 20); his mother's only child

Who Keith Porter Was:

Keith Porter was universally described by those who knew him as kind, generous, and the life of every room he entered. His cousin Jsane Tyler called him "a very loving person" and described him as a devoted "girl dad" who "brought light to his 9-year-old's eyes" and "couldn't stop bragging about his 20-year-old, a standout college sophomore." He called his mother every morning to check in.

His family wrote that he was "a warm, generous, kind, and gentle soul -- an awesome son, father, cousin, and nephew" who "always put his family first and was known for his big heart and willingness to help anyone in need." He loved fishing with his uncles.

At the Northridge Home Depot where he worked, Porter was enormously popular. His co-workers were the first to arrive at his vigil, setting things up before his family arrived. One colleague commented on his final Instagram post: "He is one of the most popular people in this store. He's already a legend around here from just being him... This is beyond heartbreaking." Reports highlighted his "stellar work record and the laughter and joy that he brought to his Home Depot coworkers."

Porter's Daughter:
- Porter's daughter posted a TikTok about her father's death that went viral, receiving nearly 7 million views
- The daughter's visible grief became a symbol of the human cost of the shooting

2. INCIDENT TIMELINE¶

December 31, 2025 - New Year's Eve¶

Time: Shortly after 10:30 PM (approximately 10:40 PM)
Location: Village Pointe Apartments, Northridge, Los Angeles
Context: New Year's Eve celebration; celebratory gunfire was common in the neighborhood

Pre-Shooting:
- Porter was outside at the apartment complex, reportedly firing a recently acquired gun (described as an AR-15-style rifle) into the air to celebrate the new year
- Two neighbors described hearing gunfire in three-shot intervals with approximately one minute between volleys
- Multiple other people in the area were also shooting in the air

DHS Official Account:
1. Off-duty ICE agent Brian Palacios was in his apartment when he heard "what he suspected were multiple gunshots"
2. "The suspected gunfire grew progressively louder, indicating to the officer that whoever was firing a gun was approaching his apartment"
3. Palacios "took his ICE-authorized firearm and left his apartment to investigate"
4. "He moved to the ground level and went outside, where he believed the suspected gunfire was coming from"
5. Palacios "rounded the corner of the building, where he encountered [Porter]" holding a long rifle
6. "The ICE officer identified himself as law enforcement"
7. "In response, the individual pointed his weapon at the ICE officer"
8. "The officer ordered the subject to put the weapon down"
9. Porter refused; agent fired "defensively"

What Witnesses, Family, and Attorneys Dispute:

DHS Claim	Counter-Evidence
Agent responded to "active shooter"	Porter was firing celebratory shots into the air -- not at anyone
Agent identified himself as law enforcement	Neighbors say they did NOT hear any identification
Porter pointed weapon at agent	No witness found who saw Porter fire toward agent
"Exchange of gunfire"	Attorney Tooson: canvassing found no witnesses supporting this
Agent acted spontaneously	Reports indicate Palacios went inside, donned tactical gear and body armor, then returned outside

Critical Detail -- Tactical Preparation:
According to multiple reports, Palacios did not simply react in the moment. After hearing gunfire, he reportedly:
1. Went back into his apartment
2. Put on tactical gear and body armor
3. Retrieved his ICE-issued firearm
4. Returned outside to confront Porter

As one analysis noted: "For a man claiming he feared for his life, this level of tactical maintenance suggests he was operating with a sense of impunity."

The Shooting:
- Palacios fired at Porter
- Porter was struck by three bullets (confirmed by autopsy)
- Porter's body was found in the apartment complex courtyard
- Porter was pronounced dead at the scene

Aftermath:
- LAPD arrived after the shooting was over
- One resident saw police officers searching for bullets with metal detectors in the courtyard
- No arrest was made
- DHS issued a statement characterizing Palacios as having "bravely responded"

Evidence Gaps:
- No body camera footage -- Palacios was off-duty
- No security camera footage of the actual shooting -- apartment complex cameras did not capture it
- Porter's legal team found what they say is audio of three gunshots that corresponds with the autopsy finding of three bullet wounds
- Investigators found evidence of two bullet impacts behind where the agent claims to have been standing (cited by officials as supporting the "exchange of gunfire" claim)

3. THE AGENT: BRIAN PALACIOS¶

Identification¶

Palacios was not officially identified by any law enforcement agency. His name became public through court documents in a custody dispute:

Source: Sworn declaration submitted by attorney Michelle Diaz, representing the ex-husband of Palacios's current girlfriend
Purpose: The filing sought to temporarily bar Palacios's girlfriend from seeing her daughter, based on the potential danger posed by Palacios's involvement in the shooting
Verification: Review of court transcripts, proof of service documents, and motions confirmed Palacios is an ICE agent living at Village Pointe Apartments, in a unit "just a short distance from the location where neighbors say Porter was killed"

Agency: ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO)

Employment Status (as of identification in mid-January 2026):
- Attorney Stacie Halpern stated Palacios "remained on-duty for ICE as of Friday afternoon" (mid-January 2026)
- DHS did not respond to questions about Palacios's status

Current Residence:
- Village Pointe Property Management confirmed: "We do not provide confidential information on our residents but can confirm that the law enforcement officer is no longer a tenant"

Allegations from Court Records¶

1. Child Abuse:
- An LA County judge barred Palacios from being around his girlfriend's children from a previous marriage
- Accused of whipping his biological sons with a belt
- Court transcript from 2025 hearing documents the barring order

2. Racist Remarks:
- Through an attorney, the girlfriend's children accused Palacios of making "racist remarks about Black and Latino people"
- Palacios referred to the children's biological father as an "illegal alien"
- Documented in court transcripts

3. Homophobic Slurs:
- Children's attorney alleged Palacios used homophobic slurs
- Documented in court transcripts

4. Gun at Youth Soccer Game:
- Palacios's girlfriend's ex-husband (Escorcia) accused Palacios of showing up to a children's soccer game with a gun visible in his waistband while holding a toddler
- Attorney Michelle Diaz: "What law enforcement officer who is mindful of gun safety shows up to a children's sporting event with a gun that is not holstered, but stuck in their waistband, and they're holding a toddler? There are all kinds of red flags here."

5. Existing Court Order:
- "Palacios is presently prohibited by Court Order from being in the presence of the parties' minor children because of his abusive conduct"

Palacios's Defense¶

Attorney Stacie Halpern's statements:
- Claims self-defense: client acted in self-defense the night Porter was killed
- Denies racist remarks
- Provided reports from LA County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and LAPD that deemed child abuse allegations "unfounded"

4. LEGAL AND INVESTIGATIVE PROCEEDINGS¶

Multiple Parallel Investigations¶

1. LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division (Homicide Special Section):
- Primary local investigation
- Has not responded to questions about whether Palacios is being investigated for crimes tied to the shooting

2. LA County District Attorney -- Justice System Integrity Division:
- Will review all evidence and determine whether the agent acted lawfully
- Declined to confirm or deny Palacios's identity regarding the shooting

3. FBI:
- Investigating because a federal agent was involved
- Status unknown

4. U.S. Department of Justice:
- Investigating because a federal agent was involved
- Status unknown

5. DHS Internal Investigation:
- Investigating the shooting internally
- Did not respond to questions about Palacios's status or the investigation

No Charges Filed¶

As of February 2026:
- No criminal charges filed against Palacios
- No arrest made
- No public timeline for any investigation's conclusion
- Family demanded arrest at LA Police Commission meeting

Legal Complexities¶

Experts note that the LA County District Attorney could charge and prosecute Palacios, with some limitations. The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution grants immunity from state prosecution to federal officers acting within the scope of their duties. Whether an off-duty agent confronting a neighbor constitutes "scope of duties" is a central legal question.

Family's Legal Team¶

Ben Crump -- nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney
Jamal Tooson -- co-counsel

Actions Taken:
- Called press conference demanding independent investigation
- Called on California AG Rob Bonta to take over investigation
- Drew parallels to shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis
- Suggested the killing may constitute a racially motivated hate crime
- Considering lawsuit against federal government

AG Bonta's Response:
- Office has declined to confirm or deny whether it has opened its own probe

Petition¶

Petition demanding Palacios's arrest delivered to LA Board of Police Commissioners by cousin Jsane Tyler
Garnered over 18,600 signatures
Also calls on LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman to criminally prosecute Palacios

5. COMMUNITY RESPONSE¶

Vigils and Memorials¶

Northridge Vigil:
- Candlelight vigil held at Village Pointe Apartments
- Porter's Home Depot co-workers were first to arrive, setting up before the family
- Friends, relatives, civil rights advocates gathered
- Black Lives Matter Los Angeles organized attendance

Carson Park Vigil:
- Joint vigil honoring both Keith Porter Jr. and Renee Nicole Good (killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan 7)
- Sponsored by Porter family
- Co-sponsored by Project Islamic Hope, National Action Network, and NAACP of Carson

BLM-LA Statement:
- "This vigil is about remembering Keith as a human being, not a headline or a hashtag and standing with his family as they demand truth and accountability"

GoFundMe Campaigns¶

Two separate campaigns launched by Porter's parents:
1. Keith Porter Sr.'s campaign: "Support for Keith's Daughters After Tragedy" -- raised $299,079
2. Franceola Armstrong's campaign (Porter's mother): "Support for Keith Porter Jr. Daughters Future" -- raised $73,940
- Combined total: Over $373,000 (as of mid-January 2026)

Porter's mother stated funds will go "directly toward the care, stability, and future of my granddaughters -- including their immediate needs, emotional support, education, and whatever is required to help them heal and move forward."

Family Statements¶

Cousin Jsane Tyler:

"[This represents] law enforcement not being held accountable for the loss of life"

"He has changed his story at least three times"

"Keith was a very loving person, and he also wasn't crazy. So there is no way that he turned around and threatened the man with the gun"

Attorney Jamal Tooson:

"Should this individual be confirmed as the person responsible for Keith's death, based on his deeply disturbing past allegations it is unimaginable that any human being with a conscience on this earth could regard him as a hero"

"This appears to be a premeditated isolated incident by somebody with a racial history who hunted him down and killed him steps away from his house"

"The Porter family has endured an unimaginable loss, compounded by a month of waiting for transparency and accountability"

Porter's Mother:
- Spoke out following Minneapolis shooting of Renee Good, connecting her son's case to a broader pattern of ICE killings

6. PATTERN ANALYSIS¶

Off-Duty Federal Agent Killing¶

This case raises fundamental questions about the scope of federal authority:
- Palacios was off-duty, at home, not performing any law enforcement function
- Rather than calling 911 (as any civilian would be expected to do), he armed himself with tactical gear and confronted Porter
- Advocates: "He wasn't trained for the situation" -- off-duty response to celebratory gunfire is not within ICE training
- The choice to confront rather than call police created a lethal situation that professionals (LAPD) would have handled differently

Racial Dimension¶

The racial dimension is not speculative -- it is documented in court records:
- Porter was a Black man
- Palacios is accused in sworn court declarations of making racist remarks about Black people specifically
- Palacios allegedly used homophobic slurs and called the biological father of his girlfriend's children an "illegal alien"
- Attorney Tooson characterized the killing as a potential "racially motivated hate crime"
- The case received significant coverage in Black press outlets (TheGrio, The Root, Black America Web, LA Sentinel, Sacramento Observer)

The "Active Shooter" Framing¶

DHS characterized Porter as an "active shooter" -- a term with specific meaning in law enforcement that refers to someone actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Firing celebratory shots into the air on New Year's Eve, while illegal and dangerous, does not meet this definition. The framing served to retroactively justify Palacios's decision to arm himself and confront rather than call police.

No Accountability Pattern¶

No arrest made despite a killing
No charges filed over a month after the shooting
Multiple investigations ongoing with no public timeline
Pattern consistent with other federal agent killings: Good (Minneapolis), Pretti (Minneapolis), and others
Agent remained on duty for ICE as of mid-January

Connection to January 2026 ICE Killings¶

Porter's killing on December 31 preceded by days:
- January 7, 2026: Renee Good killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis
- January 24, 2026: Alex Pretti killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis
- All three involved ICE agents killing people, with the government claiming "self-defense"
- The Porter, Good, and Pretti families have been connected through shared legal advocacy

7. CRITICAL QUESTIONS¶

Why did Palacios put on tactical gear and body armor before confronting Porter, if he claims he feared for his life and acted spontaneously?
Did Palacios actually identify himself as law enforcement before shooting? (Neighbors say no)
What does the audio evidence of three shots reveal about the sequence of events?
Are the documented allegations of racism against Black people relevant to his killing of a Black man?
Why has no arrest been made more than six weeks after the killing?
Will California AG Bonta open an independent investigation?
Does Supremacy Clause immunity apply when a federal agent is off-duty and acting as a private citizen?
Why did DHS immediately characterize Palacios as having "bravely responded" before any investigation was complete?
Is Palacios still employed by ICE, and has he faced any internal discipline?
What happened to the rifle Porter was allegedly holding -- was it recovered, and what does forensic analysis show?

8. CURRENT STATUS (as of February 2026)¶

Criminal Charges: NONE filed against Palacios

Investigations: ONGOING (LAPD, LA County DA, FBI, DOJ, DHS -- five parallel tracks)

Agent Status:
- Brian Palacios was still on duty for ICE as of mid-January 2026
- No longer lives at Village Pointe Apartments
- Current status unknown

Family's Legal Action:
- Ben Crump and Jamal Tooson representing the family
- Considering lawsuit against federal government
- Petition with 18,600+ signatures demanding arrest delivered to Police Commission

California AG:
- Has declined to confirm or deny any investigation

GoFundMe:
- Over $373,000 raised for Porter's two daughters

9. SOURCES¶

Primary News Sources¶

In-Depth Investigation & Analysis¶

Agent Allegations & Identification¶

Family Response & Advocacy¶

GoFundMe Campaigns¶

Additional Coverage¶

FINAL ASSESSMENT¶

Overall Confidence: HIGH

What We Know For Certain:
- Keith "Pooter" Porter Jr., 43, Black man, U.S. citizen, father of two, Home Depot employee, grew up in Compton
- Shot and killed on December 31, 2025 at Village Pointe Apartments, Northridge
- Killed by off-duty ICE agent Brian Palacios, his neighbor
- Porter had been firing celebratory shots into the air for New Year's Eve
- Autopsy confirms Porter was struck by three bullets
- No witnesses found who saw Porter fire toward the agent
- Neighbors dispute that agent identified himself as law enforcement
- Reports indicate Palacios donned tactical gear before confronting Porter
- Agent Palacios accused in sworn court declarations of child abuse, racism against Black people, and homophobic slurs
- LA County judge had barred Palacios from being around his girlfriend's children
- No body camera or security camera footage of the shooting exists
- No charges filed against Palacios as of February 2026
- Ben Crump and Jamal Tooson representing the family
- Multiple investigations ongoing (LAPD, LA County DA, FBI, DOJ, DHS)
- Over $373,000 raised for Porter's daughters via GoFundMe
- 18,600+ signatures on petition demanding arrest

What This Case Demonstrates:

An off-duty agent chose to kill rather than call police -- Palacios armed himself with tactical gear and confronted his neighbor instead of dialing 911, creating a lethal confrontation that trained officers would have handled differently
Documented racism + Black victim = unanswered questions -- Sworn court declarations allege Palacios made racist remarks about Black people; he then killed a Black man; the racial dimension cannot be ignored
The "active shooter" fraud -- DHS labeled a man firing New Year's celebratory shots as an "active shooter" to justify the killing, misusing a term with specific law enforcement meaning
Tactical preparation undermines self-defense claim -- Going inside, donning body armor, and returning outside to confront someone suggests deliberation, not spontaneous fear
No accountability -- More than six weeks after killing a man, no arrest, no charges, five investigations but no visible progress
Federal immunity as shield -- The Supremacy Clause may protect Palacios from state prosecution, creating a legal obstacle to accountability even though he was off duty
Connection to pattern -- Porter's killing preceded the Good and Pretti killings in Minneapolis by days, forming part of a cluster of ICE agent killings in late 2025/early 2026

Keith Porter was a father who called his mother every morning, who was beloved by his co-workers, whose 9-year-old daughter lit up when he walked in the room. He was killed by a neighbor with documented racist attitudes, who armed himself with tactical gear to confront a man celebrating the new year. Six weeks later, that neighbor has not been arrested. That is the system working as designed.

Disclaimer:

This report is compiled from publicly available sources as of February 12, 2026. All claims are attributed to named sources. Use responsibly and verify independently.

Every. Human. Matters.

Published by Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Methodology: Bellingcat-standard OSINT — public sources only