**Jordan Rivers Vows to Continue City Council Campaign Following Decade-Old Stabbing Lawsuit**
Jordan Rivers, a 22-year-old candidate running to represent a harbor-area district on the Los Angeles City Council, has vowed to continue his campaign despite recent reports of a stabbing incident from his childhood.
Rivers is the sole challenger to incumbent Tim McOsker in the June 2 primary election for District 15, which includes Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, San Pedro, Watts, and Wilmington.
### Allegations from Lawsuit
A lawsuit filed by Nicholas Parszik and his parents alleges that Rivers stabbed Nicholas, then 8 years old, while the two boys were playing video games in the garage of Nicholas’s San Pedro home on July 30, 2016. The suit claims Rivers “stabbed Nicholas repeatedly around the neck and shoulder areas,” causing “severe and life-threatening physical and emotional injuries.”
### Rivers’ Response
On Monday, Rivers characterized the incident as an “accident” that occurred a decade ago. “I do not believe that past situations or indeed past mistakes define or determine who a person is or what they are,” he said in a statement.
Rivers, who is Black, also accused an initial media report about the lawsuit of carrying “a racial undertone” and suggested it was designed to harm his reputation ahead of the election.
The California Post first reported the lawsuit on Monday—the final day for candidates to withdraw from the race.
### Incumbent’s Statement
Incumbent Councilmember Tim McOsker, seeking his second term, expressed sympathy for the victim and his family. “I am saddened and troubled that this happened here in our community, and my heart breaks for the victim and his family. I hope they have gotten the care needed. My office will be here to provide advocacy and support for anybody who has been traumatized by this incident,” he said.
When asked whether Rivers should withdraw from the race, McOsker’s campaign consultant Dave Jacobson responded, “Only Mr. Rivers could decide whether to run, and only he can decide whether he should stay in the race.”
### Campaign Fundraising
Rivers, who listed his occupation as “community organizer” on campaign filings, has not reported any campaign donations. By December 31, McOsker’s campaign had raised over $190,000, according to the city’s Ethics Commission.
### Background on the Incident
Juvenile criminal records are sealed. Rivers said law enforcement “got involved,” but he did not serve time in juvenile hall.
Paul Parszik, Nicholas’s father, recounted the frightening day: he was doing dishes when he heard screaming from the garage. Nicholas ran into the house with stab wounds to his neck and shoulders. Paul Parszik described how he shoved his fingers into the wounds to staunch the bleeding. Nicholas has fully recovered and is about to turn 18 but still bears physical scars from the incident.
### Rivers’ Account of the Incident
In an interview with The Times, Rivers denied intentionally attacking Nicholas. He said he had been cooking and accidentally brought a kitchen knife to the younger boy’s home. Unaware, he placed the knife under a video game controller, and the boys began “play fighting.” Rivers said he did not realize Nicholas was injured until afterward.
Rivers’ mother, Eunice Rivers, wrote in a 2016 filing that her son “was eating an apple and had a small peeler in his hand to cut his apple when the Plaintiff started wrestling with the Defendant. While wrestling, Plaintiff Nicholas was injured.”
### Lawsuit Settlement and Dispute
Eunice Rivers settled the case filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court for $10,000 in 2018. The settlement did not include an admission of fault.
However, in an October court filing, Paul Parszik claimed Eunice Rivers never paid the settlement and now owes $7,941.71 in interest.
Parszik said the lawsuit was primarily intended to pressure the Rivers family to move away, which they did not do. He plans to attend Rivers’ campaign 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,’” Parszik said.
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**Tags:** Jordan Rivers, Los Angeles City Council, District 15, Tim McOsker, lawsuit, stabbing incident, San Pedro, election 2024
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-09/la-city-council-candidate-stays-in-race-after-report-that-he-stabbed-boy-at-age-12
