Second ICE-Related Mass Shooting Hits Minneapolis

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer is in critical condition following an ambush in Minneapolis, allegedly carried out by three undocumented immigrants wielding shovels and broomsticks. This incident reportedly escalated from a traffic stop into a foot chase, culminating in a violent confrontation involving gunfire, according to officials.

The trouble began on Wednesday night as ICE agents executed a traffic stop on Venezuelan immigrants who had been allowed to enter the U.S. under the previous administration. When the suspects attempted to flee, one of them was shot and killed during the chaos, with all three being apprehended shortly thereafter.

On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the identities of the suspects as Julio Cesar Sosa-Celiz, Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna, and Gabriel Alejandro Hernández-Ledesma, all Venezuelan nationals currently detained by ICE.

Officials stated that federal agents were pursuing Sosa-Celiz in Minneapolis after he fled in a car, crashed into another vehicle, and continued on foot. As officers attempted to take him into custody, he resisted and allegedly assaulted them.

During the struggle, two individuals emerged from a nearby apartment, attacking the officers with shovels and broomsticks, according to the DHS. Fearing for his safety, the officer fired a defensive shot, hitting Sosa-Celiz in the leg. Despite his injury, Sosa-Celiz, along with the others, retreated into an apartment where they barricaded themselves.

Ultimately, all three suspects were arrested, and both the officer and Sosa-Celiz were hospitalized following the confrontation.

“What we witnessed in Minneapolis last night was an attempted murder of federal law enforcement,” remarked Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. She emphasized that the situation involved violent ambush tactics against the officer.

Noem criticized local leadership, asserting that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz needed to take urgent action to regain control over the city and address rising tensions with law enforcement which, she claims, “puts Minnesotans at risk.” She mentioned that Sosa-Celiz had previously been released by local authorities before ICE could detain him.

The DHS added that Ajorna and Hernández-Ledesma also crossed into the U.S. illegally and failed to adhere to immigration regulations. All three individuals remain in ICE custody as the case is being reviewed.