A man caught on camera hurling rocks at federal agents during the fiery Los Angeles riots last month has walked into custody, ending a tense six-week manhunt. Elpidio Reyna, a 40-year-old from Compton, California, surrendered at the San Ysidro border crossing on July 23, 2025, after his violent actions during the June 7 protests in Paramount made him a wanted fugitive.
The chaos began when protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles spiraled into violence. On that sweltering day, crowds gathered near Alondra Boulevard, furious over stepped-up immigration enforcement. Things turned ugly fast. Reyna, sporting a Los Angeles Lakers cap and a motocross helmet, was filmed chucking rocks and cinder blocks at Border Patrol vehicles. One rock hit a federal agent, leaving them seriously injured, while others shattered government vehicle windshields and windows. The FBI moved quickly, naming Reyna a suspect, slapping him on their Most Wanted list, and offering a $50,000 reward for his capture.
Reyna, a U.S. citizen with a rap sheet including felony burglary, drug charges, and DUI, didn’t stick around. He bolted to Mexico after the riots, leaving federal agents empty-handed when they raided his Compton home on June 10. The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, took to the airwaves, vowing that Reyna “can’t hide.” The U.S. Department of Justice echoed that sentiment, signaling a crackdown on anyone targeting law enforcement.
Fast forward to July 23, and Reyna made a bold move. He walked up to the San Ysidro port of entry, the busy border point linking Tijuana and San Diego, and turned himself in. Why now? No one’s saying for sure, but the heat was on. With his face plastered across wanted posters and social media, and a hefty reward looming, staying on the run likely felt impossible. Facing a federal charge of assault on a federal officer, which could land him eight years behind bars, Reyna might be banking on a plea deal or hoping to soften the blow by coming in on his own terms.
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The riots have left Los Angeles on edge. The protests, fueled by anger over immigration policies, saw some waving Mexican flags and burning American ones, sparking fierce debates. Some defend the demonstrators, arguing ICE’s tactics sowed fear in communities. Others, pointing to the injured agent and smashed vehicles, demand accountability. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has called for peace, slamming the raids for stirring “chaos” in the city.
Reyna’s surrender closes one chapter but opens another. As he faces the legal system, questions linger about what drove him to violence and what pushed him to give up.
