Border Patrol broke his window. Charlotte man says Trump admin got story wrong
A viral confrontation between U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents and a Charlotte man has drawn widespread attention, but he said the Department of Homeland Security’s account doesn’t reflect what actually happened.
Willy Aceituno, a Honduran-born U.S. citizen, was stopped twice in the same South Boulevard parking lot on Saturday before federal agents shattered his truck window, pinned him to the ground, handcuffed him and took his keys. On Sunday, the DHS posted The Charlotte Observer’s coverage on X, formerly Twitter, and claimed Aceituno acted “erratic,” refused commands and tried to distract officers so “criminals” could escape.
Aceituno told the Observer the federal government’s version of events is much different than his.
“That video is everywhere, and they’re looking for a justification to shut people up,” he said through a translator. “But if I were obstructing them in their work, they would have arrested me, and I would be in jail. They don’t have a justifiable basis. Obstructing justice means arrest.”
Border Patrol agents have been arresting and detaining people throughout Charlotte since Saturday, when agents previously stationed in Chicago moved to the city for operation “Charlotte Web.” DHS said in a statement Monday CBP had made over 130 arrests over the weekend.
How Aceituno describes the confrontation
Aceituno said the escalation happened during the second of two stops just minutes apart, when agents approached him again in the parking lot. He said the interaction moved from banging on his door to breaking the window within seconds, leaving him startled and unsure why the officers were back. They questioned him minutes earlier, and he didn’t understand why they returned without explaining what he had done wrong.
Aceituno said he questioned the order to open his car door because the previous encounter had just ended, and he is a citizen. Within moments, he said, agents broke his window and left scrapes and cuts on his arms.
In videos of the incident, Aceituno can be seen shouting at agents and telling them to check his wallet for his identification as they pin him to the ground and handcuff him. He was released after officers verified his citizenship.
Afterward, Aceituno said he filed a police report documenting the damage and the scrapes he received when agents pulled him out.
DHS characterized the agent’s actions as a necessary escalation, saying Aceituno refused “lawful commands,” acted “erratic,” and admitted he was trying to slow officers down so others could evade arrest.
Aceituno said he did not act inappropriately in the situation.
“How would you react to an assault on your person? I mean, you’re not going to grab your (head) and say “Ay,” You’re going to react defensively, or you’ll get angry. That’s normal,” he said.
Aceituno also said he never blocked agents, did not attempt to help anyone he thought was a criminal, and did not interfere in any physical way. He said he attempted to stall agents when speaking with them, but he also questioned the idea that his actions could meaningfully disrupt a federal operation. “I was talking to them, not restraining them,” he said. “They‘re security officials of the United States, the most powerful country in the world. I don’t think a dummy like me could distract such capable people.”
Aceituno said he spoke to a lawyer about the incident, who confirmed his belief that he did not resist arrest or do anything to warrant smashing his window.
“I have my rights, to not open the door if I don’t want to, and to answer questions,” he said.
Aceituno said he was not arrested or charged for obstruction of justice, which he sees as an indicator that DHS’s allegations do not match the facts.
This story was originally published November 18, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
