‘Consistently kind, deeply loving’

By Stephen Oduntan
Contributing Writer
INGLEWOOD — Hundreds of mourners filled the streets surrounding Faithful Central Bible Church Jan. 23 for funeral services for Keith Porter, the man killed by an off-duty federal immigration agent on New Year’s Eve.
Overflow crowds gathered outside the sanctuary after the church reached capacity. Media were not permitted inside the funeral service, but from the sidewalk, the scale of the turnout was unmistakable.
Mourners — many dressed in black — stood shoulder to shoulder, some quietly consoling one another, others lingering in silence when they learned they would not be allowed inside.
For community members and organizers, the turnout reflected not only grief, but how deeply Porter was loved.
“It was really clear that Keith Porter Jr. was deeply loved by his family and his community,” said Joseph, a Black Lives Matter organizer who attended the service. “There were hundreds of people there — a lot of genuine emotion, pain and anguish, but also people trying to uplift the love he brought to so many lives.”
Porter, a 43-year-old father of two daughters, was remembered throughout the service as a devoted son, parent and friend. Faith leaders emphasized mourning and restraint, centering the service on Porter’s mother and family rather than public debate over the circumstances of his death.
According to attendees, Porter’s mother spoke briefly during the service, reading a tribute that described her son as consistently kind and deeply loving — someone whose care for others was genuine and effortless. Several speakers credited her with raising Porter into the man remembered by family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.
While the tone inside the church focused on grief, family members say the concern now is what happens after the funeral — when attention begins to fade.
“It’s how few people even know about Keith Porter Jr., considering the circumstances and everything happening right now,” said Jsane Tyler, Porter’s cousin. “Keith was ours. He was from right here.”
Tyler said the family has watched as other fatal encounters involving federal agents have drawn national attention, while Porter’s case remains largely unknown outside Los Angeles.
“People are rightfully in the streets for other cases,” she said. “But Keith Porter was from our community. And it’s hard to see how little urgency there’s been around his name.”
Porter was killed just after midnight on New Year’s Eve outside his Northridge apartment.
Federal officials and the Department of Homeland Security have said Porter had been firing shots into the air in celebration of the new year when an off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent heard the gunfire and went to investigate, describing it as an “active shooter situation.”
Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether the agent identified himself or issued a warning before the shooting, and no official statement detailing those actions has been released. Porter’s family and supporters dispute the account, saying the circumstances did not justify the use of lethal force, and neighbors have said they did not hear the agent identify himself before the fatal shots were fired.
The shooting remains under investigation, and the off-duty agent has not been charged. Court filings in an unrelated legal matter appear to identify the off-duty ICE agent involved in the shooting as Brian Palacios, though law enforcement officials have not publicly confirmed his identity or released an official statement naming him.
Tyler said part of the family’s frustration has been the response — or lack of response — from local leadership.
“It took almost a month for the mayor to even say his name,” she said. “And even now, there’s no call for an investigation, no pressure on LAPD homicide, no push to the district attorney.”
In the days after Porter’s death, Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, D-Culver City, called for an independent and transparent investigation, saying the public deserves clear answers when a civilian is killed by law enforcement. Tyler noted that, aside from Bryan and a small number of local officials, few elected leaders have spoken publicly about the case.
For the family, the period following the funeral has been especially difficult.
“The finality of laying him to rest — that’s when it really hits,” Tyler said. “Everything else hurt, but that made it real.”
She said her decision to speak publicly is driven by grief as much as resolve.
“My grief and my pain are what fuel this fight,” she said. “I don’t know how not to fight.”
Community advocates say that resolve has translated into action. Organizers have gathered tens of thousands of signatures on a petition calling for accountability and say they plan to continue pressing city and law enforcement officials for answers.
“If we don’t keep Keith’s name in the spotlight, they’re going to let this disappear,” Tyler said. “That’s what they want — for it to quietly go away.”
That concern, she said, has driven an effort to keep sustained public pressure on city and law enforcement officials.
Tyler and members of Black Lives Matter attended the Los Angeles Police Commission meeting Jan. 27, presenting commissioners with their petitions.
“We were expecting to submit about 5,000 signatures to the Police Commission, and instead we delivered more than 18,000 in just two weeks,” she said. “That shows the community is paying attention — not just the family — and that people are demanding justice for Keith Porter.”
“If we don’t keep Keith’s name in the spotlight, they’re going to let this disappear,” Tyler said. “They want to say there isn’t enough evidence and move on. But the community is watching now.”
Stephen Oduntan is a freelance writer for Wave Newspapers.