Questions surround the death of Keith Porter Jr., a 32-year-old man who was killed by an off-duty Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on New Year's Eve in Los Angeles, per the LA Times.

The Department of Homeland Security said the unidentified ICE agent responded to reports of an “active shooter” at the Village Pointe Apartments in Northridge and fatally shot Porter during an exchange of gunfire. Porter’s family and attorney strongly dispute that account, saying he wasn't threatening anyone and was instead firing a gun into the air while celebrating the new year.

Loved ones described Porter as a devoted father of two, a hardworking “jack of all trades,” and a charismatic friend who loved fishing, football, and making people laugh.

“That is far from the truth,” Adrian Metoyer, Porter’s longtime friend, said of DHS' claims. “Calling the officer a hero before any investigation had been conducted … this is ridiculous.”

In a statement last week, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the “brave officer” was protecting his community when he shot and killed Porter. DHS has declined to answer follow-up questions. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed a gun was recovered at the scene but declined to release additional details.

A law enforcement official said Porter was armed with an assault-style rifle. His family’s attorney, Jamal Tooson, acknowledged the 32-year-old had a rifle but said witnesses told him Porter was ordered to put it down and then shot. Tooson said no one heard the agent identify himself as law enforcement and that he doesn't believe there was an exchange of gunfire.

“What should have been an arrest … has turned into a death sentence,” Tooson said.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office and the LAPD are investigating the incident. However, because the agent was off-duty, there is no body-camera footage, and neither the LAPD nor DHS has released surveillance video.

“He was not a threat,” Porter’s mother, Franceola Armstrong, said. “Anyone who comes in contact with my baby has nothing to say but love.”

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