Crime
Four Dead, Including Suspect, Following Officer-Involved Shooting and SWAT Response in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — A complex and tragic series of events early Friday morning in St. Louis has left four people dead, including a suspect, after an officer-involved shooting and a SWAT deployment during a barricade situation, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD).
At approximately 4:20 a.m., officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert in the 5100 block of Wells Avenue, where they discovered a man deceased from multiple gunshot wounds on the front porch of a residence.
The scene was immediately secured, and detectives launched a homicide investigation. A search warrant was obtained to allow law enforcement to enter the home in search of ballistic evidence.
In light of the developing situation, officers requested assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
At around 7:00 a.m., a man exited the residence and briefly spoke with a homicide detective and an ATF special agent, before retreating back inside the home.
He soon reemerged armed with a rifle and opened fire on officers. In response, both the officer and agent returned fire.
The suspect then retreated into the house once more.
A call for “Officer in Need of Aid” and reports of a disturbance were made around this time, prompting police to shut down the surrounding streets and deploy hostage negotiators along with the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.
By approximately 9:00 a.m., SWAT officers made entry into the home and secured the scene. Inside, they located three deceased individuals:
- The suspected shooter, found dead near the entrance of the home;
- A woman, discovered deceased in the living room;
- A man, found deceased in the basement.
In total, four people were pronounced dead: the original victim found on the porch and the three individuals located inside the residence.
One of the victims has been tentatively identified by family and social media posts as Anthony, also referred to by the hashtag #LongLiveUncleSnaccs.
The names and ages of the other victims have not yet been released, and the timing and exact causes of death remain under investigation.
No officers or federal agents were injured during the incident.
Authorities have launched two parallel investigations:
- A homicide investigation into the deaths at the scene,
- And a force investigation into the officer-involved shooting, in accordance with departmental policy.
The officer who discharged his weapon is 28 years old and has served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for three years.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact SLMPD Homicide Division or CrimeStoppers.
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.