Crime
One dead, another injured after shooting at Sazón Latino Restaurant in Hazleton
HAZLETON, PA — Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Saturday morning at a restaurant in Hazleton, leaving one man dead and another person injured.
According to Luzerne County Coroner Dion Fernandes, his office was called to Lehigh Valley Medical Center shortly before 2:30 p.m. following reports that a man who had been shot at Sazon Latino Restaurant, located at 921 Alter Street, had died en route to the hospital.
The identity of the deceased has not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
A second individual sustained minor injuries in the incident and was also transported for medical evaluation.
That person is expected to recover.
At this time, the circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear.
It has not been confirmed whether any arrests have been made or if a suspect is currently in custody.
The incident is under active investigation by the Hazleton City Police Department, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Officials are working to determine the events that led to the gunfire inside or near the establishment.
Coroner Fernandes noted that an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday to determine the official cause and manner of death.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the shooting to contact the Hazleton Police Department as the investigation continues.
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.