South Bay Man Who Had Loaded Gun During Curfew Arrest Faces Charges: DA

WILMINGTON, CA — A Wilmington man could be facing more than six years in prison after officers found he had a loaded gun while arresting him for violating a curfew imposed on Downtown Los Angeles amidst ongoing anti-ICE protests, according to authorities.

Prosecutors with the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office say Terrill Tillis, 30, was taken into custody for violating the city-mandated curfew while out Wednesday around 12:30 a.m. in the area of Third and Spring streets.

After being detained, officers found Tillis was armed with a loaded firearm that contained 15 rounds in its magazine, according to police.

He has since been charged with a felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon and a misdemeanor count of giving or receiving a large-capacity magazine, according to prosecutors.

SEE ALSO: Curfew Lifted In Downtown LA As Protests Quiet, Businesses Struggle

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles District Attorney announced it had charged 30 people so far with a variety of crimes that happened during immigration protests in Downtown Los Angeles over the last few weeks.

Among those charged are Long Beach and Paramount residents who are accused of either possessing Molotov cocktails during separate protests.

A Gardena man also faces charges after being accused of providing commercial fireworks to a group of protesters and throwing fireworks at police.

Several other people, many Los Angeles residents, are also facing charges related to looting, assaulting officers or using destructive devices against officers.

A Lynwood man was also charged Tuesday with one count of discharging a laser at an aircraft during a protest in San Pedro on Thursday.

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“While we will always defend the right to peacefully protest, we will not disregard criminal behavior that puts the lives of officers and others at risk or compromises public safety,” Hochman said in a statement Tuesday. “There is a clear and distinct line between lawful expression and unlawful conduct. Our job as prosecutors is to ensure those who engage in violence and destruction are held accountable for their actions.”

As of Tuesday, the LAPD had arrested 575 people since protests began on June 7, including 14 people for looting, the department said in a press release.

Many of the arrests have been for failure to disperse or violating curfew.

The curfew was put in place last week amid unrest over immigration raids in the city. While anti-ICE protests were largely peaceful during the day, violence sometimes erupted at nighttime, which included people looting businesses and clashing with police.

On Tuesday, Mayor Karen Bass ended the nightly curfew.

“The curfew has been an effective tool in helping us maintain public safety in the downtown Los Angeles area and deter those looking to exploit peaceful protests for criminal activity. The LAPD will maintain a strong presence in the area and continue to monitor conditions closely to protect lives, uphold the right to lawful assembly, and safeguard property,” LAPD Chief of Police Jim McDonnell said Tuesday.

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Los Angeles Editor Chris Lindahl contributed to this report.