An East Los Angeles neighborhood awoke to "flashbangs, some explosions" early Thursday morning as federal agents arrested a man on an allegation of distributing face shields to "suspected rioters," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Resident Arturo Rosales said the loud noises woke him up, and when he looked outside at 6th Street and Ditman Avenue, he saw the National Guard and the streets cordoned off with "white, unmarked vans." According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, deputies were at the scene to assist FBI agents with a search warrant.

Rosales said he saw FBI agents, "raiding the house two doors down here … they pulled out one person."

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote on X that "Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was arrested this morning by on an allegation of Conspiracy to Commit Civil Disorders (18 USC 371) for distributing face shields to suspected rioters on Tuesday."

The U.S. Attorney confirmed on X that this is part of the ongoing efforts to arrest and identify people involved in "organizing and/or  supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles." 

"I'm just in shock," Rosales said.

During a Thursday morning news conference in West Los Angeles, Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, said the FBI has been assisting the Department of Homeland Security with immigration enforcement since February. He mentioned the operation that took place earlier in the morning in East LA as a highlighted case, showing the FBI's "line of effort in this overall DHS-led operation."

"Alejandro was providing masks and face shields to violent rioters throughout the week and was arrested by our SWAT teams this morning with the success and the appreciation and assistance from the U.S. Attorney's Office," Davis said. "That case is ongoing, but Ariana is in custody as we speak."

No official charges have been filed yet in this case.