Man Posing as ICE Agent Attacks McDonald’s Manager
In a surprising incident, a man impersonating an ICE agent assaulted a McDonald’s manager and threatened him with deportation.
Joshua Cobb, 40, faces charges for attacking Daniel Martinez while pretending to be a federal immigration officer in the affluent La Jolla area of San Diego.
Footage of the disturbing event reportedly shows Cobb leaping behind the counter to put Martinez in a chokehold during a hectic lunchtime moment.
“Why do you think your 911 call doesn’t?” Cobb shouted after choking Martinez.
Dressed casually in jeans and a NASA T-shirt with a backwards cap, Cobb first claimed to be a federal employee and then attacked Martinez from behind.
He continued to threaten Martinez while holding him in a headlock, prompting other employees to step in and break up the situation.
Even after the intervention, Cobb refused to leave and persisted with his abusive remarks.
“Why do you think it’s okay for me to take two punches?” he stated, claiming he would confront illegal immigrants until apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
After the altercation, police remarked that Cobb, described as a local drifter, could have seriously harmed Martinez during the struggle.
Martinez, who has worked at the busy location on Nobel Drive for six years, revealed that Cobb was a familiar face at the restaurant. “He just came in for a soda and left chaos,” Martinez recounted, adding that Cobb had grabbed him forcefully from behind.
Martinez noted that his colleagues quickly intervened, but Cobb still managed to land a punch before being restrained.
Cobb was arrested but later released, facing charges of misdemeanor battery and impersonating a law enforcement officer. As of now, there have been no further comments regarding the incident.
“We wanted to ensure the public was aware that this individual was not an ICE officer,” said Lt. Cesar Jimenez with the San Diego Police Department, highlighting ongoing concerns about ICE enforcement in California.
McDonald’s has not provided a statement, and staff members at the restaurant declined to comment on the unsettling occurrence.
