Video Undermines ICE Account of Minneapolis Shooting
Source: nytimes.com
TL;DR
- Newly obtained video shows an ICE agent shot Venezuelan immigrant Julio C. Sosa-Celis in the leg during a January confrontation in Minneapolis.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html)
- Federal prosecutors charged Sosa-Celis and housemate Alfredo A. Aljorna with assault but dropped charges weeks later after finally reviewing the footage.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html)
- The video contradicts ICE's initial claim of a brutal attack on the agent, prompting questions about delayed video review and agent statements.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html)
The story at a glance
The New York Times obtained video footage of a January 14, 2026, incident where an ICE agent shot and wounded Julio C. Sosa-Celis, a 24-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, in north Minneapolis during an attempted arrest following a traffic stop.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html) ICE initially described Sosa-Celis and housemate Alfredo A. Aljorna as attackers who ambushed the agent with a shovel and broom, leading to quick felony charges portraying the agent as a brutal beating victim.[[2]](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/15/dhs-releases-more-details-about-three-violent-criminal-illegal-aliens-who-violently) The article is reported now because the Times' analysis of the newly public video—available to authorities hours after the event but not reviewed by prosecutors for nearly three weeks—undermines that account and highlights flaws in the federal response.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html)
Key points
- On January 14, ICE targeted Sosa-Celis, released into the U.S. in 2022, for a traffic stop; the actual driver fled to an apartment where Sosa-Celis lived, leading to a struggle.[[3]](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/doj-moves-drop-charges-against-men-arrested-after-minneapolis-ice-shooting-2026-02-13)
- DHS and Secretary Kristi Noem quickly called it "attempted murder," claiming three men—including Sosa-Celis with a shovel or broom—ambushed and beat the agent, who fired defensively, wounding Sosa-Celis in the thigh.[[2]](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/15/dhs-releases-more-details-about-three-violent-criminal-illegal-aliens-who-violently)
- Federal prosecutors filed assault charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna on January 16 but dismissed them with prejudice in February after "newly discovered evidence" proved inconsistent with agent statements.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html)
- Video, obtained by police hours after the shooting and released publicly by Minneapolis on April 6, shows no sustained attack; it depicts a brief altercation, with Sosa-Celis possibly retreating when shot.[[4]](https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/ice-in-minnesota/video-released-of-jan-14-shooting-involving-federal-agents-in-north-minneapolis/89-7b77b9b4-50d6-4f41-b698-f0ab90cb851e)
- Prosecutors relied on ICE and FBI affidavits without viewing the video until nearly three weeks post-charging, per an official.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html)
- Two ICE agents were suspended; federal probe examines if they lied under oath, amid a pattern of disputed ICE shootings in Minneapolis that winter.[[5]](https://www.commondreams.org/news/ice-lies-minneapolis-shooting)
Details and context
The incident occurred amid aggressive ICE operations in Minneapolis under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, following fatal shootings like that of Renee Good on January 7, which also involved disputed videos and accounts.[[6]](https://sahanjournal.com/ice-shootings-minneapolis-minnesota) Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, DoorDash drivers supporting families, had minor prior records like driving without a license but no violent history; ICE labeled them "violent criminal illegal aliens."[[7]](https://www.startribune.com/federal-agents-lied-about-why-they-shot-a-venezuelan-man-in-minneapolis-their-story-quickly-fell-apart/601567060)
City surveillance video, released April 6 without comment, captures a vehicle stopping abruptly, a man with a shovel outside, and a brief scuffle before shots; it aligns with witness claims that the agent fired as men retreated into the apartment.[[8]](https://www.fox9.com/news/north-minneapolis-ice-shooting-video-april-6-2026) This contrasts with ICE bodycam or affidavits, which prosecutors later found unreliable.
The delayed video review raises oversight issues: Minneapolis Police Chief noted federal access early, yet U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen moved to drop charges only after inconsistencies emerged, avoiding retrial.[[4]](https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/ice-in-minnesota/video-released-of-jan-14-shooting-involving-federal-agents-in-north-minneapolis/89-7b77b9b4-50d6-4f41-b698-f0ab90cb851e)
Key quotes
None from the paywalled article; secondary reports quote DHS on the initial "ambush" but no direct agent admissions.[[2]](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/15/dhs-releases-more-details-about-three-violent-criminal-illegal-aliens-who-violently)
Why it matters
This case exposes potential flaws in ICE's rapid narrative-building after use-of-force incidents, eroding public trust in federal immigration enforcement amid heightened operations.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html) It concretely shows how unverified agent statements led to wrongful charges against immigrants, delaying justice and fueling local-federal tensions in sanctuary-leaning areas like Minneapolis.[[7]](https://www.startribune.com/federal-agents-lied-about-why-they-shot-a-venezuelan-man-in-minneapolis-their-story-quickly-fell-apart/601567060) Watch the ongoing federal probe into the agents and any policy changes on video protocols or charging decisions, though outcomes remain uncertain.[[5]](https://www.commondreams.org/news/ice-lies-minneapolis-shooting)