A Shocking Incident in San Pedro (Image Credits: Nypost.com)
Los Angeles – Allegations from a 2016 civil lawsuit have thrust a City Council candidate’s juvenile incident into the spotlight as the June primary approaches.[1][2]
A Shocking Incident in San Pedro
On July 30, 2016, two neighborhood boys in San Pedro engaged in what began as a routine playdate. Jordan Rivers, then 12, visited the home of 8-year-old Nicholas Parszik, about five houses away. The pair played video games in the family’s garage.[1]
Nicholas’s father, Paul Parszik, heard screams from the garage. He rushed in to find his son covered in blood, with his shirt half-soaked and stab wounds to his neck and shoulders. Parszik pressed his fingers into the wounds to stem the bleeding until paramedics arrived. The boy suffered life-threatening injuries that doctors said came perilously close to being fatal – a quarter-inch deeper and the outcome could have turned deadly. Permanent scars remain on Nicholas’s neck today.[2][1]
Rivers’s older brother, Nathaniel, recounted hearing a scream from outside where he played basketball. Rivers allegedly shoved past him and ran home. Court documents later described the attack as unprovoked, with Rivers bringing a concealed knife to the home.[3]
The Lawsuit and Quiet Resolution
In 2018, Nicholas and his parents filed a civil suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Jordan Rivers and his mother, Eunice Rivers. The complaint sought damages for the severe physical and emotional harm inflicted during the gaming session.[1]
The case settled out of court that year. Eunice Rivers agreed to pay $10,000 toward medical costs, with no admission of liability from the family. Paul Parszik later claimed in court filings that the settlement went unpaid, accruing over $7,900 in interest. The suit aimed partly to prompt the Rivers family to relocate, though they remained in the neighborhood.[1]
- Plaintiffs: Nicholas Parszik and parents Paul and unnamed mother.
- Defendants: Jordan Rivers (minor) and Eunice Rivers.
- Settlement amount: $10,000 for medical expenses.
- Resolution date: 2018.
- Juvenile records: Sealed, no public criminal conviction details.
Rivers’s Campaign and Defense
Now 22, Jordan Rivers runs as the Green Party candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 15, challenging incumbent Tim McOsker. The district spans San Pedro, Harbor Gateway, Watts, and Wilmington. A lifelong resident and self-described community organizer, Rivers campaigns via Instagram under “Rivers Delivers for LA” but reports no donations.[1]
The story broke on March 9, 2026 – the last day to withdraw – via a California Post report. Rivers stayed in the race, denying intent. He described carrying a cooking knife accidentally under a game controller, leading to unintended injury during “play fighting.” “I do not believe that past situations or indeed past mistakes define or determine who a person is or what they are,” he stated.[1]
Family, Officials React to Resurfaced Claims
Paul Parszik expressed disbelief upon learning of Rivers’s candidacy. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said. “This is just insane. I don’t understand how someone with a violent history like this can run for public office.” He plans to attend Rivers’s rallies: “I can’t wait to go home and go to his first rally and say, ‘Hey, you stabbed my kid and you have no remorse.'”[1][3]
McOsker called the event troubling: “I am saddened and troubled that this happened here in our community, and my heart breaks for the victim and his family.” Former councilmember Joe Buscaino deemed violent history disqualifying for leadership. The LAPD Protective League echoed concerns over fitness for office. Rivers suggested some coverage carried a “racial undertone” to harm his bid.[2]
Key Takeaways
- A 2016 playdate turned violent, leaving an 8-year-old with lasting scars.
- The 2018 lawsuit settled without fault admission; payment disputed.
- Rivers, now 22, defends it as an accident and presses on with his District 15 campaign.
California law permits any registered voter to seek office, leaving voters to weigh a candidate’s past against present aspirations. As the primary nears, the episode underscores debates on redemption and public trust. What do you think – should juvenile incidents bar political runs? Tell us in the comments.
