Crime
22-Year-Old Jesus Ramiro Rodriguez Arrested in Fatal Shooting of 36-Year-Old Man Near Chesterley Skate Park in Yakima
Yakima, WA – A 36-year-old man was shot and killed Monday evening near Chesterley Skate Park, prompting a swift response from law enforcement and the arrest of a suspect, according to the Yakima Police Department.
The incident occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. on May 12, when Yakima police received multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire in the area of the park.
Officers arrived on scene and discovered a man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
Despite efforts to administer lifesaving aid, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses provided crucial information that enabled law enforcement to quickly identify a suspect. With assistance from the Washington State Patrol and the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, officers located and arrested 22-year-old Jesus Ramiro Rodriguez near the scene.
He was booked into the Yakima County Jail on suspicion of murder.
The Yakima Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit has taken the lead on the investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest the shooting may be gang-related, though authorities are continuing to gather evidence to confirm a motive.
Officials are urging anyone who was at Chesterley Park at the time of the shooting and may have encountered the suspect or captured video or photographs of the incident to come forward. Those with information are asked to contact Sgt. Noah Johnson at (509) 576-6874.
The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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.