ICE Agent Charged in Shooting of a Venezuelan Immigrant in Minnesota
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Christian Castro, a 52-year-old U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, has been charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in connection with the January shooting of Venezuelan immigrant Julio C. Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis.
- The shooting incident, which occurred during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, sparked violent protests and involved a state investigation hampered by federal agencies' refusal to share information.
- Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty emphasized that Castro’s federal status does not exempt him from state criminal charges.
- The Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the charges, and it remains unclear if Castro has legal representation; court records indicate an active warrant and a $200,000 bond.
- Julio C. Sosa-Celis was one of three individuals shot by federal agents during the immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota, which also resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.