Northridge community holds candlelight vigil for man fatally shot by DHS agent on New Year's Eve

Friends and family of the 43-year-old man who was fatally shot by a Department of Homeland Security agent in Northridge on New Year's Eve gathered on Sunday to demand accountability and hold a candlelight vigil for their lost loved one. 

They identified the victim as Keith Porter, who they say was a well-known and well-liked person in the community. 

"If I could say anything to the ICE agent, it's that you're a murderer," said Jasané Tyler, Porter's cousin. "You stole my cousin from me. You stole their father from them. You stole Francine's son from her."

Porter's loved ones are demanding justice after the father of two died on New Year's Eve. He was shot by an off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs agent at the apartments where they both lived. 

His family contends that he was shooting a gun in the air to mark the new year. A statement from DHS on the incident contends that it was an "active shooter situation."

"On December 31st, an off-duty ICE Officer bravely responded to an active shooter situation at his apartment complex," the statement said. "In order to protect his life and that of others, he was forced to defensively use his weapon and exchanged gunfire with the shooter."

Another statement from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin provided further details. She said that the agent was "in his apartment, when he heard what he suspected were multiple gunshots. The suspected gunfire grew progressively louder, indicating to the officer that whoever was firing a gun was approaching his apartment. The officer took his ICE-authorized firearm and left his apartment to investigate. He moved to the ground level and went outside, where he believed the suspected gunfire was coming from."

McLaughlin's statement says that the officer rounded the corner of the building, where he encountered Porter, who they said was allegedly armed with a long rifle.

"The ICE officer identified himself as law enforcement. In response, the individual pointed his weapon at the ICE officer. The officer ordered the subject to put the weapon down, McLaughlin said. "When the subject refused to comply, the officer fired defensively with his service weapon at the subject to disarm him. The subject fired at least three rounds at the officer."

Porter's friends and family don't buy it, especially with members of law enforcement in their own family. 

"Every one of them says this is not standard, this is not protocol," Tyler said. 

Black Lives Matter leaders, who hosted the Sunday night vigil, are outraged by what happened.

"Were this anyone else, there would've been an arrest," said Dr. Melina Abdullah, with BLM. "You don't get to just murder people because you don't like what they're doing or how they're celebrating."

Los Angeles Police Department officers tell CBS LA that their investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. They also told the LA Times on Sunday that they haven't yet spoken with the ICE agent due to protocol on how deadly force investigations are conducted when they involve federal law enforcement officers.