LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Social media posts mistakenly identified a law enforcement-themed Las Vegas ice cream truck as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle, leading its owner to fear for his safety.
“ICE and Border Patrol don’t use trucks from 1985,” Billy Settlemyers, the owner of Las Vegas Ice Cream Patrol, said Monday.
Last week, a person posted a video of Settlemyers’ black-and-white truck driving into a neighborhood with the caption: “Please be on the lookout for ‘ice cream’ trucks… they ever (sic) play music to get people to come outside… this is actually so sick.” Other people then took that original video and made their own, criticizing Settlemyers’ business, thinking the federal government was involved.
“I’m an ice cream man, that’s it,” he said from his truck’s window awaiting customers.
The Las Vegas Ice Cream Patrol is complete with a badge on the side – but look closely and the truck may be home to more chocolate bars than metal ones.
“I wanted to build something creative for my community – nice and clean and approachable,” Settlemyers said. “Safe for kids. That’s it.”
“People ask me if I’m law enforcement or ex-law enforcement. I’m a mechanic. I built the truck.”
The truck’s look even encourages drivers to slow down as some believe it’s a police vehicle from far away, Settlemyers said. It says on its side: “Not affiliated with any law enforcement agencies.”
Before Settlemyers could react, the damage was already done. Even without seeing the video of his truck, people posted across social media that immigration raids were underway.
“ICE is in Las Vegas. Please stay safe,” one post said. “They had a checkpoint… one even disguised as an ice cream truck.”
“I feel kind of like a target,” Settlemyers said. “People have to stop and realize with social media how many people are going to see their video and the repercussions from it are dangerous, possibly.”
The woman who posted the most far-reaching TikTok video deleted it and apologized.
“Thankfully of all the wonderful customers I have in this neighborhood, they came to my defense … and I really appreciate that a lot,” Settlemyers said.
Last week, ICE arrested about 1,200 people across major cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles. There was no indication Monday that ICE was implementing any checkpoints or large-scale arrests in the Las Vegas valley.
Last week, LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill told Nexstar’s KLAS his department will not partake in mass deportation “roundups.”
“I think it will be an interesting conversation, but roundups out in the community and those kinds of things, that’s not my job. I have too much to do,” McMahill said. “I don’t think that with the volume and magnitude of the problem that they’re going to make as much progress on it as they would like to unless they first focus in on stopping people from coming across the borders.”
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