At a news conference Wednesday morning, Alec Bertrand’s attorney, Jim DeSimone, announced the civil rights claim against several federal agencies, saying his client was “illegally and unlawfully assaulted” while he was “peacefully protesting.”

DeSimone said the incident occurred during an immigration raid at a cannabis farm in Camarillo on July 10. He said bertrand showed up at the intersection near Las Posas and Laguna Road around 11:30 a.m.,where agents were conducting a raid. He said Bertrand joined a crowd of about 40 “peaceful protesters” who were opposing the operations.

“I decided to join the protesters that day because I had witnessed firsthand the destruction that thes officers bring upon our community,” Bertrand said.

DeSimone alleges his client vocally objected to the raid but never engaged in any violence nor approached the agents closer than about 10 feet.

Without warning, DeSimone claims agents from the various federal agencies began firing “tear gas and less lethal munitions,” which he described as rubber bullets filled with Kevlar, at the crowd. The claim alleges Bertrand was struck in the shoulder, hand and other parts of his body. Bertrand said his First Amendment Rights to the freedom of speech and assembly were violated when he was shot.

“They created a war, one that day, a war zone in a peaceful farming town in a California suburb,” Bertrand said.

CBS los Angeles has reached out to DHS, ICE and CBP for a comment on the matter and is waiting for a response.

“As he was standing there helplessly, they shot him in the hand, shattering his left hand, shattering his index finger and it’s a bone that is now replaced by a metal screw,” DeSimone said.