Crime
Victims killed in New Albany warehouse shooting identified
The alleged shooter, 28-year-old Bruce Reginald Foster III, appeared in court Thursday afternoon and is currently being held on a $20 million bond.
NEW ALBANY, OH – Authorities have identified both victims who were fatally shot in Tuesday night’s mass shooting at a KDC/One warehouse in New Albany.
The Licking County Coroner’s Office confirmed Thursday that 38-year-old Kyle Vaver, of Pickerington, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second victim, 30-year-old Shakhar Chapagai, was transported to Mount Carmel East Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at 8:33 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Franklin County Coroner’s Office.
In an update Thursday, officials reported that one individual remains hospitalized following the incident.
The alleged shooter, 28-year-old Bruce Reginald Foster III, appeared in court Thursday afternoon and is currently being held on a $20 million bond.
According to court records filed in Licking County Court of Common Pleas, Foster has been charged with aggravated murder, with additional charges likely as the investigation progresses.
His next court appearance is scheduled for February 13.
At approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to reports of an active shooter at the KDC/One warehouse on Smiths Mill Road North.
Upon arrival, authorities discovered six employees who had been shot, including Vaver, who was deceased.
During a Wednesday afternoon press briefing, New Albany Police Chief Greg Jones stated that officers arrived within four minutes of receiving the emergency call.
However, Foster had already fled the scene using a rideshare service, which authorities do not believe was involved in the crime.
While police have described the attack as targeted, they have not yet determined a definitive motive.
Witnesses told investigators that Foster had been working for several hours before the shooting and that there had been no prior altercation or dispute leading up to the violence.
Foster was ultimately taken into custody at an apartment complex on East 7th Avenue, near the Short North Arts District in Columbus.
Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the New Albany Police Department or Licking County authorities.
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.