Crime
Victim killed in Lafayette Maytag Laundromat shooting identified as 35-year-old Keith Ford
Renee Martin, 32, and Salvador Antonio De La Cruz Reyes, 30, were transported to a local hospital and are reported to be in stable condition.
Authorities have released additional information regarding a fatal shooting that occurred at a Lafayette laundromat on Thursday evening, December 5, 2024.
The shooting took place at approximately 7:40 p.m. at the Lafayette Laundromat, formerly known as Maytag Laundromat, located at 3100 South Street.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered a man lying in the parking lot with critical injuries.
He was transported to IU Arnett Hospital, where he later succumbed to his wounds.
The Tippecanoe County Coroner, Carrie Costello, identified the deceased as 35-year-old Keith Ford.
Inside the laundromat, officers found three more individuals suffering from gunshot wounds:
- Renee Martin, 32, and Salvador Antonio De La Cruz Reyes, 30, were transported to a local hospital and are reported to be in stable condition.
- The alleged shooter, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound and remains in critical condition.
The Lafayette Police Department (LPD) has confirmed that the suspected shooter is a man from Lincoln, Nebraska.
Investigators are collaborating with the Lincoln Police Department to gather more information about his background and potential motives.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting are still under investigation. Authorities have not indicated whether the victims and suspect knew each other or what prompted the violence.
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the local community.
Police are urging anyone with additional information to come forward by contacting the Lafayette Police Department or submitting anonymous tips through the department’s hotline.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
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.