An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was arrested in Texas on Friday for shooting a man in the leg in north Minneapolis and lying about the incident. Christian Castro, 52, was taken into custody by Department of Homeland Security agents and Texas Rangers. He faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime.
The shooting occurred on January 14 during Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Castro allegedly shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national, after a confrontation outside a home on North Sixth Street. The incident started when ICE agents in an unmarked car chased a man who lived in the home with Sosa-Celis.
ICE Agent Shooting
According to the charges, Sosa-Celis ran out of the home and saw Castro struggling with the other man. Sosa-Celis had a broomstick and swung it at Castro, but did not hit him. Castro then fired his gun through the door, injuring Sosa-Celis. Six people, including two children, were inside the home at the time.
Castro and another officer involved in the incident falsely accused Sosa-Celis and another man of assaulting them with a shovel and broomstick. The Department of Homeland Security repeated the false allegations, but later dropped federal assault charges against Sosa-Celis and the other man.
Investigation and Charges
The arrest of Castro is a significant development in the case, with Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty saying it is a “critical step forward in our prosecution.” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison added that the arrest shows that “nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government.” The Department of Homeland Security has responded to the arrest, calling the actions of Minnesota authorities a “political stunt.”
Castro is the second federal officer to face charges in Minnesota following Operation Metro Surge. The incident has raised questions about the use of force by federal law enforcement officers and the need for accountability. As the case moves forward, it will be closely watched by communities across the country.
