Crime
47-year-old LaTasha Polk killed in New Orleans terror attack
Authorities have identified the final victim of the New Orleans terror attack as LaTasha Polk, a 47-year-old nursing assistant and mother of a teenage son.
LaTasha Polk was described by family members as a dedicated and hard-working nursing assistant who was deeply committed to her 14-year-old son. Family members attending a vigil in her memory shared that Polk lost her life during the tragic attack on Bourbon Street.
While the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office has not yet officially confirmed her identity, family members have publicly honored her, placing a photograph at a makeshift memorial in the French Quarter.
The memorial serves as a poignant reminder of LaTashaโs contributions as both a caregiver in her profession and a devoted mother.
Friends, family, and community members continue to gather at the site to pay their respects and support one another during this difficult time.
Further details about the attack and the ongoing investigation will be shared 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 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.