Ambush is the eighth episode of NCIS: Los Angeles Season 1.
Synopsis
When a Marine reservist is brutally murdered in an fish aquarium, OSP investigate and are stunned to discover that the death is connected to a case their colleague, NCIS Special Agent Mike Renko has been working with the case leading Callen, Sam, Kensi, Renko and the rest of the OSP team to a dangerous militia group, Enhancing Law Enforcement or ELE. As the team scramble to arrest the members of the group and retrieve six stolen anti-tank missiles while preventing ELE from launching their next attack against illegal immigrants, the whole situation soon escalates into a highly tense stand-off with a lot at stake and has Callen caught in the middle while Hetty is in Washington, D.C., attending a Senate hearing.
Plot

Callen in the prison van.
Major Events
- Mike Renko returns to OSP.
Episode Name Origin
- The name "Ambush" refers to the supposed ambush of the militia group during the episode.
Trivia
- Enhancing Law Enforcement would later be mentioned in the Season 3 episode, Touch of Death (episode).
- During the episode, Hetty remarks to Director Leon Vance that the last she'd heard was that Macy was working out of a Quonset hut in Djibouti, although this was later contradicted in the NCIS Season 7 episode, "Patriot Down" where it was revealed that prior to her murder, Macy had been working with a task force in Marseille, France.
Cast
Series Regulars
Name | Portrayed by | Role |
---|---|---|
G. Callen | Chris O'Donnell | An NCIS Special Agent in charge of the Office of Special Projects field team and who is partnered with fellow NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna. |
Kensi Blye | Daniela Ruah | An NCIS Special Agent with the Office of Special Projects and who is partnered with NCIS Special Agent Dominic Vail. |
Nate Getz | Peter Cambor | Psychologist with the Office of Special Projects. |
Dominic Vail | Adam Jamal Craig | An NCIS Special Agent with the Office of Special Projects and who is Kensi Blye's partner. |
Henrietta Lange | Linda Hunt | The Operations Manager for the Office of Special Projects. |
Sam Hanna | LL Cool J | An NCIS Special Agent with the Office of Special Projects and who is partnered with NCIS Special Agent G. Callen. |
Recurring Cast
Name | Portrayed by | Role |
---|---|---|
Eric Beale | Barrett Foa | An NCIS Tech Operator with the Office of Special Projects. |
Mike Renko | Brian Avers | NCIS Special Agent. |
Leon Vance | Rocky Carroll | Director of NCIS. |
Other Cast
Name | Portrayed by | Role |
---|---|---|
Malcolm Tallridge | Michael Reilly Burke | Founder of Enhancing Law Enforcement (Militia Group). |
John Bordinay | Richard Brake | Second-in-command of Enhancing Law Enforcement (Militia Group). |
Jay | Owen Beckman | A member of Enhancing Law Enforcement (Militia Group). |
Scott Reilly | Brian Letscher | Private in the United States Marine Corps. |
Desmond | Steven M. Gagnon | U.S. Secretary of the Air Force (SecAF) and also a friend of Hetty's. |
Thompson (Ambush) | Jeronimo Spinx | NCIS Special Agent. |
Congressional Staffer | Jennifer Chang | Uncredited role. |
Capitol Policeman | Cory Tucker | Uncredited role. |
Jamie | Fred Salmon | Uncredited role. |