Detained California landscaper punched by federal agent swung a weed whacker first, Border Patrol says

The U.S Border Patrol on Tuesday accused a 48-year-old landscaper forcibly detained in Santa Ana last week of attacking them with his weed whacker.

The agency drew widespread condemnation after a video posted to social media on Saturday showed the landscaper being pinned to the ground, pepper sprayed and repeatedly punched in the head by at least one agent.

Narciso Barranco, who was working a landscaping job at an IHOP when he was approached by the armed, masked agents, is now accused of swinging his weed whacker at them and resisting arrest.

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“Show the full story. If you swing a WEED WACKER at federal agents, run through traffic, and refuse to comply – there WILL be consequences,” the U.S Border Patrol wrote on X on June 24.

The post included an edited and slowed-down, 19-second video without audio. In it, Barranco is seen walking with his back facing the two agents, who have their guns drawn as they approach him from behind. Barranco then turns around and appears to move the gardening tool to his other hand, making what could be interpreted as a single “swinging” motion. He lowers the tool and backs further away from the agents before the video is cut short.

It is unclear at what point during the encounter that occurred, or if federal agents had identified themselves before pointing a gun at the Tustin resident.

The Border Patrol did not say why Barranco, as he was restrained on the ground, was repeatedly punched in the head, as seen in the other video, which has been circulating since Saturday.

In a separate statement on Tuesday, the agency claimed Barranco was not injured during the arrest, except for “minor” scrapes.

The statement said: “(On June 21) Border Patrol Agents wearing uniform body armor assigned to enforcement operations in Santa Ana, CA encountered a man performing yard work. Agents announced themselves and attempted to engage with a man in conversation. The subject refused to answer questions, ran from the agents, and then began swinging a large string trimmer (seen in the video) at the agents.

“Agents utilized OC spray on the subject and multiple agents were required to take the subject into custody. During the arrest, the subject continuously forcefully resisted arrest until he had been placed into a vehicle. Aside from minor scrapes, the subject was not injured during the arrest. The subject is being processed for removal.”

On Monday, Barranco’s family said they did not know if he received medical care while in federal custody. Despite multiple attempts to contact the Los Angeles detention facility where Barranco was being held, no one could be reached for comment.

The family could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Three of his sons are U.S. Marines, two on active duty and stationed at Camp Pendleton.

“I feel betrayed,” the oldest son, former Marine Alejandro Barranco, said Sunday after watching the video of his father being hit.

“My dad has no criminal history,” he said in the interview. “He wasn’t doing anything bad. He was just working. The way they (federal agents) attacked him, I don’t think it’s right.”

A GoFundMe to help the family defray legal expenses has raised more than $195,000 since Saturday.