A Los Angeles City Council race is drawing intense scrutiny after court documents surfaced alleging that a candidate running for office carried out a brutal knife attack on an 8-year-old boy when he was a juvenile.
Jordan Rivers, 22, who is seeking to represent the Green Party in Los Angeles City Council District 15, allegedly stabbed the child multiple times during a play date in San Pedro, according to a civil complaint obtained by The California Post.
Rivers was 12 years old at the time of the alleged attack.
According to the complaint filed by the victim’s family, the boy suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed in the neck and shoulder. The injuries left permanent scars that remain visible years later.
The lawsuit describes the attack as “unprovoked, brutal and unwarranted.”
Court documents claim Rivers brought a concealed knife with him when he visited the family’s home, which was located roughly five houses away from where he lived. The children were reportedly playing video games in the garage when the attack suddenly occurred.
The victim’s father, Paul Parszik, recalled the terrifying moment his injured son ran into the house.
“My son came running into the house with half his shirt covered in blood,” Parszik said. “There was blood everywhere. He was screaming and crying.”
The boy’s older brother, Nathaniel, said the incident unfolded in a matter of seconds. He said he was playing basketball outside when he suddenly heard screaming from the garage, which was roughly 50 yards away.
When he ran toward the noise, Nathaniel claims Rivers rushed past him and sprinted away from the scene.
Parszik said he desperately tried to stop the bleeding while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
“I stuck my fingers in the holes in his neck trying to stop the bleeding while we waited for help,” he said.
Far-left LA City Council candidate brutally stabbed boy, 8, during gaming sessionhttps://t.co/L9mkLCDuuN
— richard trevino jr (@richtrevinojr77) March 10, 2026
Doctors later told the family that the injuries had come dangerously close to being fatal. According to Parszik, medical staff said the knife had narrowly missed a critical area.
“They said if the knife had gone about a quarter inch deeper, he wouldn’t have made it,” he said.
The civil lawsuit was settled out of court in 2018. As part of the agreement, Rivers’ mother paid $10,000 toward the victim’s medical costs. The settlement included no admission of liability.
Parszik said he was stunned to learn that Rivers is now running for elected office.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said after hearing the news. “This is just insane. I don’t understand how someone with a violent history like this can run for public office.”
California law allows anyone who is a registered voter to run for public office, regardless of past allegations or juvenile conduct.
The controversy follows recent outrage in California over another candidate, registered sex offender Rene Campos, who attempted to run for Fresno City Council after previously being convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material in 2018.
Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Joe Buscaino said the allegations surrounding Rivers raise serious questions about whether someone with a history of violent conduct should seek elected office.
“Public service is a sacred trust, and those who wish to hold it must be held to the highest standard of character,” Buscaino said.
“A history of violent criminal conduct is disqualifying, not as punishment, but as a matter of fitness for leadership.”
The Los Angeles Police Protective League echoed similar concerns, saying individuals with violent histories should not hold public office.
The organization added that while the young victim appears to have recovered physically, the emotional impact of the attack may last far longer.
Rivers has not responded to requests for comment about the allegations. Attempts to reach him at his San Pedro home were unsuccessful.
On his campaign Instagram page, Rivers describes himself as a “lifelong” resident of the district and a member of the Green Party. He has yet to outline detailed policy positions, though he recently posted from a pro-Cuba event in Hollywood, criticizing U.S. policies toward the island nation.
