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Zepeda with facial bruises and a. black eye. Photo courtesy Erik Zepeda.
20-year-old student reportedly suffered a broken wrist requiring surgery; federal officials dispute his account of the encounter.
October 24, 2025
LCCN Staff Report
SANTA MARIA, Calif. — A 20-year-old Santa Maria High School student with disabilities suffered serious injuries, including a broken wrist that reportedly required surgery, after being “detained” by federal immigration agents while walking to school Wednesday, Oct. 21.
The student, identified as Erik Zepeda, is a United States citizen enrolled in special education classes at Santa Maria High School. According to local news reports, Zepeda was walking near Broadway and Enos Drive, approximately half a mile from campus, when he was approached by federal immigration agents conducting an enforcement operation.
Zepeda told reporters that two agents tackled him without warning, forced him to the ground and handcuffed him. He said he did not resist the agents and did not understand why he was being detained.
The encounter reportedly left Zepeda with a broken wrist, bruises, cuts and a black eye. He subsequently underwent surgery for his wrist injury.
According to reports, Zepeda had identification establishing his U.S. citizenship in his wallet, but agents did not examine it before detaining him.
After being released near the location of the encounter, Zepeda walked to Santa Maria High School, where administrators observed his injuries and called an ambulance. He was transported to a hospital for medical treatment.
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Zepeda’s wrist that was broken. Photo courtesy Erik Zepeda.
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The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that federal agents were conducting an immigration enforcement operation in the area and detained an individual they believed matched the description of someone they were seeking.
However, federal officials disputed Zepeda’s account of the encounter.
DHS claimed that Zepeda resisted officers’ commands and assumed what the agency described as a fighting stance. Federal officials also disputed reports that he suffered broken bones and said he had not requested medical assistance during the encounter.
Zepeda maintains that he complied with the agents and did nothing to provoke the use of force.
The conflicting accounts have raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the detention, the agents’ use of force and the procedures used to verify an individual’s identity during immigration enforcement operations.
The incident has also drawn attention because Zepeda is a U.S. citizen with disabilities who was reportedly on his way to attend classes when the encounter occurred.
Police Obtain Surveillance Footage
On Friday, Oct. 23, KEYT News reported that the Santa Maria Police Department had obtained surveillance video from a nearby grocery store documenting the involvement of federal agents in the incident.
Police reportedly turned over the footage and additional evidence to the Department of Homeland Security for further investigation. Many people in the city are questioning why the police department turned the video over to the agency.
The contents of the surveillance footage have not been publicly detailed, and it remains unclear whether the video captures the entire encounter or the actions that led to Zepeda’s injuries.
The case has prompted criticism from local elected officials.
Santa Maria City Councilwoman Gloria Soto called for an independent investigation into the incident, while U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal expressed concern over the reported injuries and circumstances surrounding the detention.
Glen Goldin, Zepeda’s former special education teacher, sharply criticized the federal agents’ actions in an interview with KEYT News. “This has to be reined in. We have a secret police running around these United States of America kidnapping and assaulting people. It’s scary and it has to stop,” Goldin told KEYT.
The incident raises broader questions about accountability during federal immigration enforcement operations, particularly when U.S. citizens are mistakenly detained.
It also highlights the importance of establishing what occurred during the encounter, including whether agents properly identified themselves, whether Zepeda was given an opportunity to establish his citizenship and whether the force used was justified.
Los Cerritos Community News will continue monitoring this developing story and provide updates as additional information becomes available, including findings from any investigation and further statements from federal and local authorities.
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