Crime
5-Year-Old Girl Fatally Shot by 3-Year-Old Brother in Henderson, Victim Identified
HENDERSON, NC – A tragic shooting inside a Henderson home has left a 5-year-old girl dead after her 3-year-old brother accidentally discharged a firearm, police say.
According to a press release from the Henderson Police Department, officers responded to a residence on Gary Street around 9:30 a.m. Friday following reports of a shooting.
Upon arrival, authorities discovered the young girl suffering from a single gunshot wound.
Despite immediate lifesaving efforts, she succumbed to her injuries.
Early findings indicate that the incident occurred inside the family’s home when the 3-year-old child gained access to an unsecured firearm and discharged it, striking his sister, police said.
Authorities recovered the firearm used in the shooting, along with other evidence from the scene.
“The investigation will require time and various resources, including consultation with the District Attorney’s Office,” officials stated.
While police have not yet announced whether charges will be filed, the case remains under active review.
The North Carolina Beat has identified the victim as 5-year-old Avah Gracelynn and her 3-year-old brother as Waylon Lee.
Authorities are urging the public to secure firearms properly to prevent similar tragedies.
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.