Crime
26-year-old Johndarius Ward killed after shooting outside Boston Fish Supreme in Birmingham
The suspect opened fire on Ward’s vehicle and then fled the scene.
A tragic shooting incident occurred early Saturday morning in Birmingham, resulting in one fatality and one serious injury.
The shooting took place outside two businesses in the 800 block of Third Avenue West, which had previously been labeled by city officials as a “launching pad for criminal activity.”
The victim, identified as 26-year-old Johndarius Decareious Ward of Birmingham, was found unresponsive inside a vehicle.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service.
Approximately two dozen shell casings were found surrounding Ward’s sedan, which was parked in front of Boston Fish Supreme. Another cluster of shell casings was located near the front door of the Shell station.
According to police investigations, Ward was attempting to leave the parking lot when he was ambushed by the shooter.
The suspect opened fire on Ward’s vehicle and then fled the scene.
While officers were responding to the shooting, they learned that an additional victim had arrived at Princeton Baptist Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
The injured individual was transferred to UAB Hospital for further treatment.
The Birmingham Police Department is actively investigating the incident and seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and apprehending the suspect.
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 subjectโs 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. Attorneyโs Office.