Crime
Suspect in shooting of Orange County deputy killed by police in Louisville
The two-day manhunt for Austin Schepers, a 33-year-old man accused of shooting an Orange County, Indiana deputy sheriff, came to an end Saturday night when law enforcement fatally shot Schepers during a confrontation in Louisville, Kentucky.
Indiana State Police (ISP) reported that Schepers was located in the 3700 block of Wheeler Avenue, in Louisville’s Jacobs neighborhood.
Officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) were led to the residence as part of their efforts to apprehend the fugitive.
Upon finding Schepers, a confrontation ensued, during which he was fatally shot by law enforcement at the scene. LMPD has classified the incident as a “critical investigation,” emphasizing its serious nature.
The events leading to the manhunt began on Friday when Deputy Zac Andry of the Orange County Sheriffโs Department responded to a report of a vehicleโa Pontiac Grand Prixโpartially blocking the road. While checking on the situation, Deputy Andry encountered Schepers.
According to investigators, Schepers pulled out a firearm during the interaction and opened fire on Deputy Andry, striking him multiple times, including a critical wound to the head.
Deputy Andry was rushed to the hospital and remains in critical condition as of the latest updates. The incident sparked a widespread manhunt involving multiple agencies.
Schepersโ death concludes the search, but investigations into the circumstances surrounding both the original shooting and the subsequent confrontation remain ongoing. LMPD and ISP are working together to piece together the sequence of events.
The shooting of Deputy Andry has left the Orange County community reeling. Local law enforcement has expressed gratitude for the support received during the manhunt and has asked the public to continue keeping Deputy Andry and his family in their thoughts during this difficult time.
Authorities are expected to release further details as investigations progress.
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.