Minnesota prosecutors on Monday introduced costs towards a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent within the nonfatal taking pictures of a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis earlier this 12 months.
The federal agent, Christian Castro, was charged with 4 counts of second-degree assault and one rely of falsely reporting against the law within the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, in keeping with the Hennepin County legal professional.
“Mr. Castro fired his service weapon on the entrance door of the house, realizing there have been individuals who had simply run inside that introduced completely no risk to him or anybody else,” Hennepin County Lawyer Mary Moriarty mentioned throughout a information convention Monday.
In line with Moriarty, the bullet struck Sosa-Celis within the leg, handed by means of a closet and lodged within the wall of a kid’s bed room. She added that Castro was not underneath any bodily risk when he opened fireplace and that claims from authorities officers that he had been struck with a shovel or broom had been false.
“There isn’t any such factor as absolute immunity for federal officers who commit crimes on this state or another,” Moriarty mentioned. “A violent crime did happen that night time, however it was Mr. Castro who dedicated it.”
A spokesperson for ICE known as the costs a “political stunt” but additionally mentioned officers concerned are being investigated by the U.S. legal professional’s workplace for “mendacity underneath oath” and should “face disciplinary motion, together with termination of employment, in addition to potential felony prosecution.”
In line with the felony criticism, the confrontation started when Castro and different ICE brokers chased a person who was delivering meals for DoorDash again to his home.
The badge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent is seen on the immigration courtroom on the Ted Weiss Federal Constructing, Might 12, 2026 in New York Metropolis.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photographs
The criticism states that safety footage exhibits that Castro tackled the driving force after he jumped out of his automobile and was operating towards his residence, which he shared with Sosa-Celis. One other resident then separated the 2 males and was capable of get inside the home with the driving force.
In line with the criticism, video proof exhibits Castro then fired a single gunshot by means of the closed entrance door and hit Sosa-Celis in the appropriate leg.
4 adults and two kids had been inside the house on the time of the gunfire, the criticism states. Following the taking pictures, ICE brokers deployed tear gasoline, breached the residence, and took the occupants into custody.
Bail for Castro was set at $200,000.
