Official: 'Very intense struggle' after federal agent shot boss in California

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Homeland Security police cars are shown parked outside the Long Beach, Calif., Federal Courthouse Friday, Feb. 17, 2012.

(Credit: AP Photo/Nick Ut)

(CBS/AP) LONG BEACH, Calif. - A federal agent accused of shooting his supervisor engaged in a serious struggle for his gun with another colleague who subsequently shot and killed him, an official said.

The shooting occurred after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Ezequiel Garcia discussed his job performance with Kevin Kozak, the agency's second-in-command in the Los Angeles region, ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said Saturday.

Agent Perry Wood, who attended the discussion and had just left the office when the shots rang out, rushed back and burst in to disarm Garcia, according to CBS Los Angeles.

"There was a very, very intense struggle," Kice said. "They were physically struggling over the gun."

The agent eventually drew his own gun and shot Garcia, Kice said.

Kozak, 51, continued his recovery Saturday from at least six bullet wounds, including to the hand, knee and torso, Kice said. Kozak is the agency's deputy special agent in charge of investigations in the Los Angeles region.

A federal official with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press that Kozak denied Garcia's request for an internal transfer. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.

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February 17, 2012 - Officials: US immigration agent killed after shooting boss in LA office

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by autuer1234 February 21, 2012 3:21 PM EST

The deceased agent, Ezequiel Garcia, had previously been attacked and beaten by other law enforcement deputies in that area, had sued and lost a case alleging misuse of force by those deputies. Why does the CBS news story not include that highly relevant information? It makes his request for transfer out out that area very understandable, and the denial of that request by the supervisor highly suspicious. Also, there are reports that instead, Garcia was fired during that meeting. http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/state&id=8548969

Finally, it is reported that his wife of 14 years was divorcing him http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-long-beach-shooting-federal-building,0,4313243.story

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by ahendryx819 February 21, 2012 5:56 PM EST: God forbid law enforcement actually FOLLOW the laws that they're supposed to enforce. I wondered why he wanted a transfer when I read the article. It's always shady when law enforcement are involved, because you never get the full story.