In June 2025, online users alleged a video showed one or more "Democrat rioters" shooting at law enforcement officers during protests in Los Angeles County, where people demonstrated against stringent immigration policies imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. The clip, lasting 18 seconds, depicts an unidentified person — likely a man, wearing a dark hat, bandanna, dark hoodie, dark shorts and bright red shoes — allegedly pointing a firearm in the direction of law enforcement officers and their vehicles, near the establishment Dale's Donuts in Compton, south of the city of Los Angeles.
For example, on June 10, numerous users on Facebook (archived) and X (archived) shared the video with similar captions, for example, "BREAKING: Democrat Rioters Now SHOOTING at Police in Broad Daylight!" Other users on Instagram (archived), Reddit (archived), TikTok (archived) and X (archived) shared the same video, though without calling the person a "Democrat rioter."
Snopes' investigation of the video, as well as other clips showing different moments from the same scene, authenticated the clip as genuine and not a product of artificial-intelligence. At the same time, we found no definitive evidence to confirm the identity and voting record of the person featured in the video or whether they had been protesting, nor did we uncover any clarifying information about the firearm.
Our examination of numerous clips uncovered evidence of additional acts of violence by a person matching the same description, including throwing objects at police officers and lighting a car on fire.
Snopes contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department by phone and email to ask whether they had any details about the video and individual, and will update this story if we receive further information.
Investigating the firearm video
According to numerous searches, the earliest posting of the video (archived) appeared on TikTok user @logannorths' account on June 7 at 4:41 p.m. PDT (local time in California). The user's account (archived) hosts many other videos from the LA-area protests. Snopes contacted @logannorths to ask questions about the video, including if they could confirm they recorded the clip, as well as requesting any other details about the identity of the person, and will update this article if we learn more information.
The clip shows the northeast corner of Atlantic and Alondra boulevards in Compton. The camera faces south toward Dale's Donuts — an establishment with a large, donut-shaped sign, similar to Inglewood's famous Randy's Donuts.
The video depicts at least one law enforcement vehicle with flashing lights parked at the donut shop, as well as other law enforcement vehicles partially obscured by a fence on the left side of the frame. The clip features smoke, loud bangs and at least one person honking their car horn, as well as the person recording the video saying "Oh s***" after the person with the firearm begins aiming their weapon. Several people near the donut shop appear to be officers holding rifles and wearing protective uniforms and helmets. A different video (archived) shared on X less than two hours after @logannorths' clip showed law enforcement officers wearing similar uniforms and helmets standing on the very same northeast corner, across from the donut shop.
Car set on fire, objects thrown at police
Additional videos showed other acts of violence by a person at the same location matching the same description, including body type, dark hat, bandanna, dark hoodie, dark shorts and bright red shoes. For example, one YouTube video shows a person with the same body type and casual wear leaning into a car, possibly a 2012 or similar year Hyundai Sonata. Moments later, that person — the only person standing immediately next to the car — closes the car door as the vehicle begins to burn. (The YouTube video displayed an "altered or synthetic content" label. This label appeared to be correctly applied to other videos on the channel but incorrectly applied to the clip showing the car fire, as the clip did not show any signs of generative-AI manipulation.)
The LiveNOW from FOX YouTube channel hosts a video (below) showing an aerial view of the same moment of the car going up in flames, right around 4:49 p.m. PDT. The time displayed by LiveNOW from FOX places the firearm video, uploaded by TikTok user @logannorths at 4:41 p.m., as happening before the car fire.
Meanwhile, a YouTube video (below) hosted by the LA-based organization AXN News shows a person fitting the same description at the 5:47:50 mark. Readers can spot the person by looking for their red shoes. Then, at the 5:48:18 mark, the video shows the person preparing an unknown object with another person. Seconds later, the person with red shoes throws the object at police officers. At the 5:48:56 mark, the person jogs past the frame, holding their right hand against their right pocket while retreating from police officers, as firefighters attempt to put out the car fire. Minutes later, close-up shots at 5:51:50 confirm the officers as belonging to the LA County Sheriff's Department, with a seal on a vehicle door matching that of the department's website.
Other (archived) posts (archived) also (archived) offered (archived) additional information in our research.
For further reading, Snopes previously reported the facts about the Trump administration calling up National Guard troops and Marines, against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass.