Crime
Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines arrested after allegedly shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins in his office
UPDATE: One person has been fatally shot in an incident at the Letcher County Courthouse.
Sheriff Mickey Stines has been arrested in connection with the deadly shooting of a judge at the Letcher County Courthouse.
Whitesburg, Kentucky – Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines has been arrested in connection with a shooting incident at the Letcher County Courthouse.
Stines is accused of shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins in his office, located off the Letcher District Courtroom. The shooting occurred on, prompting an active shooter situation.
Residents in the Whitesburg area were advised to shelter in place and go under lockdown immediately. Individuals in the downtown area were urged to lock their doors and remain safe. Both the Mountain Eagle and Appalshop confirmed reports of the shooting.
Nearby Letcher County Schools were placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure. While students were assured that they were not in danger, the lockdown remained in place until authorities deemed it safe to release them.
One person has been arrested in connection with the shooting. However, police have not yet authorized the release of students from the schools.
Initial reports indicated that the shooting took place in the District Courtroom. Court employees were visibly shaken and gathered on the sidewalk outside the courthouse.
Law enforcement officers responded to the incident promptly. A reporter is en route to Whitesburg to gather more information and provide updates as they become available.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.