Crime
1 killed, multiple injured in South Laredo Shooting and Standoff, suspect in custody
UPDATE: 21-year-old Frida Castillo died.
LAREDO, TX – A violent standoff in the Cheyenne subdivision left multiple people critically wounded, including the alleged shooter, following an intense confrontation with law enforcement on Saturday afternoon.
The Laredo Police Department responded around 2 p.m. to reports of gunfire in the 3900 block of Bannock Lane, located off Bob Bullock Loop behind the City Hall Annex.
Upon arrival, officers heard shots being fired from a residence and immediately came under fire.
Police quickly took cover, alerted command staff, and established a perimeter while awaiting additional support.
Due to the severity of the situation, LPD’s SWAT team, crisis negotiators, and additional tactical units were deployed to the scene.
However, authorities stated that the suspect, a 27-year-old man, was actively shooting at officers, leaving no opportunity for negotiation.
Inside the residence, law enforcement determined that multiple individuals had been wounded.
Given the ongoing threat and the critical nature of the situation, SWAT officers made the decision to enter the home and confront the suspect.
Among the victims transported to Laredo Medical Center are 21-year-old Frida Castillo and 24-year-old Jorge Castillo, both listed in critical condition.
The suspect was also critically wounded, along with at least two other individuals who sustained gunshot injuries.
A large-scale investigation is now underway as authorities work to determine the motive behind the shooting and gather further details on the circumstances leading up to the incident.
Our thoughts remain with the victims and their families during this difficult time.
A community prayer chain has been requested for those injured.
Authorities urge residents to avoid speculation and allow investigators to conduct a thorough inquiry.
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.