Caroline Leavitt sparring with columnist Niall Stanage over ICE shooting incident
Caroline Leavitt was excused from commenting on The Hill’s White House columnist Niall Stanage regarding ICE, saying he was “biased.”
Minnesota prosecutors have issued a nationwide arrest warrant for a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer suspected of fatally shooting a Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis during the federal government’s Operation Metro Surge earlier this year.
At a May 18 press conference in Minneapolis, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty identified the ICE agent as Christian J. Castro, 52. He claimed that Castro shot and killed Julio C. Sosascelis, wounding him in the leg, as ICE agents were chasing another man in north Minneapolis on January 14.
According to the criminal complaint, Castro is charged with multiple counts of second-degree felony assault with a weapon and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime.
Moriarty said Castro fired the gun from the front door of the home where Sosascelis and others, including children, were inside. At a news conference announcing the charges, Moriarty said the bullet went through the door, hitting Sosascelis in the leg, and then lodged in the wall of the child’s room.
Moriarty added that, contrary to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press release the day after the Jan. 15 shooting, Castro was never hit with a shovel, broom, or weapon of any kind, as federal authorities described. Investigators said ICE agents surrounded the home after the shooting, used tear gas, then entered the home and detained four adults.
Prosecutors say surveillance video, witness statements and physical evidence contradict those claims, according to the criminal complaint.
“A violent crime did occur that night, but Mr. Castro was the one who committed it. He shot down the door of a house with many people inside, including children, and fortunately several others were missing,” Moriarty told reporters at a May 18 press conference. “While Mr. Castro is an ICE officer, having a federal badge does not exempt him from state prosecution for criminal conduct in Minnesota.”
Moriarty said ICE Director Todd Lyons acknowledged after the incident that two ICE agents had lied and that Castro was one of them. The north Minneapolis shootings occurred just one week after the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Nicole Good and 10 days before federal agents shot and killed ICU nurse Alex Preti, both in south Minneapolis.
The Justice Department has so far declined to file charges against the officers allegedly involved in all three shootings.
In an emailed response to USA TODAY on May 18, an ICE spokesperson said that “these actions by Minnesota sanctuary politicians are illegal” and nothing more than a political stunt.
“Lying under oath is a serious federal crime, and the U.S. Department of Justice is actively investigating these statements,” an ICE spokesperson said. “Once the investigation is complete, the officers face disciplinary action up to and including termination, as well as possible criminal prosecution.
“The men and women of ICE are charged with upholding the rule of law and are expected to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical behavior. Violations of this sacred oath will not be tolerated,” the statement concluded.
Minnesota prosecutors are ready for whatever happens next
Moriarty characterized the incident as a case of mistaken identity and said his office is well prepared for what happens next. Agents were looking for illegal immigrants. They were among 3,000 ICE and U.S. Border Patrol officers sent to Minneapolis as part of Operation Metro Surge.
The county attorney said Mr. Castro’s defense team may try to move the case to federal court, but Mr. Castro insisted his office would still lead the prosecution. If Castro is convicted, he would no longer be eligible for a presidential pardon, Moriarty added.
“What happened here is unprecedented in modern times,” Moriarty said.
Meanwhile, Michelle Gross, a longtime leader of the Minneapolis-based nonprofit Community United Against Police Brutality, who lives near where the shooting occurred, said she was thrilled that Moriarty was taking action.
“We cannot allow any law enforcement agency to lie about its actions and use excessive force,” Gross said. “We cannot tolerate such behavior in our community and we are very pleased that there may be some accountability in this case.
“And we look forward to similar allegations being raised in the Renee Goode and Alex Preti cases,” Gross added.
This story has been updated to add new information.
