Kaden Rummler is a 21-year-old college student and left-wing activist living in Southern California was apparently permanently blinded in his left eye by a projectile fired by a federal agent during a protest in Santa Ana on January 9, 2026.
In a statement to The Times, regarding the incident in Santa Ana, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that a “mob of approximately 60 rioters hurled rocks, bottles, and fireworks at law enforcement officers outside the federal building.”
Federal officials and family members confirmed Wednesday that Rummler was issued a citation for disorderly conduct — a misdemeanor — after the shooting, according to the O.C. Register.
The Department of Homeland Security officer’s decision to shoot Rummler directly in the face with a less than lethal projectile from point blank range has been questioned and Rummler has secured the services of attorney John C. Washington.
As of January 16, 2026, Washington is actively investigating the incident and has stated that he is considering a lawsuit against federal authorities. He has publicly criticized the use of force by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as “completely unacceptable” and “unjustifiable,” arguing that firing a “less-lethal” projectile at point-blank range constitutes lethal force.
During law school Washington interned at the Center for Constitutional Rights, assisting with cases involving international human rights violations and the right to free expression in the United States; with Human Rights Watch developing a preliminary report on the right to Primary School Education in East Africa; with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ Regional West Africa Bureau, assisting countries in the region to develop approaches to migrant flows; and with Professor Philip Alston and the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Central African Republic.
Rummler is part of an organization called Dare to Struggle, which has a So. California chapter. Their latest online post states “LA lit a fire last night. It’s time to pour gasoline on it.” Their protest in Santa Ana was in regard to ICE and the shooting of Renee Nicole Good, an activist in Minneapolis.
It is not known where Kaden Rummler lives or what political party he is registered with.
A GoFundMe page has raised over $100K for Rummler.