An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent accused of shooting a man in the leg during an incident in north Minneapolis was arrested in Texas on Friday, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
What happened
Christian Castro, 52, was charged on May 18 with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime related to the January 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national. The event occurred amid Operation Metro Surge, a law enforcement crackdown targeting immigration violations.
The incident began when ICE agents in an unmarked vehicle pursued a DoorDash driver connected to Sosa-Celis’s residence on North Sixth Street and North 24th Avenue. After the pursued man ran inside the home, Sosa-Celis emerged with a broomstick and swung at Castro, though he did not make contact. Castro then fired through the door, injuring Sosa-Celis. At the time, six individuals, including two children, were inside the residence.
Following the shooting, Castro and another officer falsely accused Sosa-Celis and the other man of assaulting them with a shovel and broomstick. Those claims were echoed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but federal assault charges against the men were later dropped. Both agents were placed on leave.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) investigators tracked Castro to Texas earlier this week. He was apprehended by Department of Homeland Security agents and Texas Rangers based on a nationwide arrest warrant.
Why it matters
The arrest underscores the legal accountability sought for law enforcement officers, including federal agents, who are accused of using excessive force and making false statements. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison emphasized that no one, including federal agents, is above the law in Minnesota.
This case follows the recent killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis and highlights concerns around the conduct of federal officers during heightened immigration enforcement operations.
Background
Operation Metro Surge deployed thousands of federal officers to Minnesota as part of intensified immigration enforcement. This operation has already led to other federal officers facing charges, including Gregory Morgan Jr., charged with assault for allegedly pointing a gun at two individuals on a highway.
The DHS has stated that investigations into false statements by agents are ongoing and warned that involved officers could face disciplinary action including possible termination and criminal prosecution.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source:
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